For
Immediate Release
January
11, 2009
CONTACT:
Matthew
Johnson: 414.372.5000
mjohnson@gfhguide.com
The Publishers of Girlfriends
health guide
announces the 1st Annual “It’s All About You” Women of color Health Disparities Conference with SPECIAL GUEST ACTRESS, vivica A. Fox
a
MILWAUKEE
– Girlfriends Health Guide for Women of Color® and its
Girlfriends Network presents the 1st Annual “It’s All About You”
Women of Color Health Disparities Conference on February 27, 2010 at the Hyatt
Regency Hotel in Milwaukee. This is the first leg of a four-city tour including
Dallas, Chicago and Atlanta in 2010.
“It’s All About
You” Health Conference will address key disparities and
health related issues that women of color face everyday. Healthcare disparity is the gap that
exists in access and quality of standard care for minority groups. There is no
single, simple answer. Racial and ethnic minorities tend to receive lower-quality
health care than whites even when insurance
status, income, age and severity of conditions are comparable, according to a 2002
report of the Institute of Medicine. In the State of Wisconsin the gap is even
greater in some areas according to the most recent Minority Health Report
issued January 2008. Cited causes of health disparities are numerous and
include: lack of insurance, access to healthcare, poverty, education level,
cultural difference, language barriers, access to transportation, racism,
environmental risks and differences in individual community support.
The Women of Color Health Disparities Conference will provide a forum
for influential stakeholders in healthcare and community healthcare leaders to
share ideas and move towards solutions to affect change regarding racial and
ethnic health disparities in African American, Asian Americans,
Hispanics/Latinos and Native Americans. Girlfriends Health Guide meets this
issue head on with its Health Guide Magazine, Social Networking Community and
its Girlfriends Network. “We are totally committed to helping women identify
earlier detection, obtain more accurate diagnoses, and personalized treatment
for women affected by cancer, heart disease, stroke and other conditions,” says
Matthew Johnson, Group Publisher and
conference organizer.
“UnitedHealthcare is proud to be a partner with Girlfriends Holdings,
LLC by sponsoring "It's All About You." The conference supports
our mission to help people live healthier lives. This collaboration
provides an unprecedented opportunity to educate our members and the community
at large in an effort to reduce the racial and ethnic disparities affecting the
populations we serve,” says Ginger Dzick, Director Marketing and Community
Relations.
To ensure a successful and
exciting event, Girlfriends Health Guide has secured national talent such as
Hollywood Actress Vivica Fox as its
keynote luncheon speaker. Fox, a South
Bend Indiana born actress, started her acting career in soap operas such as
Generations, Days of Our Lives and The Young and the Restless. She has had key roles
in many other movies such as: Teaching Mrs. Tingle, Two Can Play That Game, and
Kill Bill. From 2004 to 2006 as she starred in the Lifetime Television Network
drama series, Missing. In 2007, she was also a contender in Dancing with the Stars.
The celebrity line-up also
includes Gospel Recording Actress Shirley Murdock, Kellita Smith of the Bernie
Mac Show and former talk show host, Mother Love, as special guest and
presenters.
Program Highlights include:
conference registration starting at 7:00am-8:30am with breakfast. Opening welcome at 8:15am; general
sessions begin at 8:45am until noon with Vivica A. Fox; following lunch join Vivica
Fox, Shirley Murdock, Mother Love and friends in their “Girlfriend-2-Girlfriend”
Talk Series. Finally, Girlfriends Network’s signature event “GNO” Girlfriends
Night Out will round out the day at 3pm-5pm with its “GO RED” reception
sponsored by the American Heart Association and CHANEL. Each woman will be
asked to dress in red in support of “Heart Month.”
Our proud title sponsors include: United Healthcare, Wisconsin
Department of Public Health-Wisconsin Well Woman, YMCA of Milwaukee and
Milwaukee Health Services. Other key local industry sponsors and presenters
include; Alzheimer’s Institute, Cream City Medical, Black Health Coalition,
American Heart, American Cancer, American Lung Association, City of Milwaukee
Health Department. Sojourner Truth House, UWM School of Nursing, Wisconsin
Medical Society, Wisconsin Department of Regulatory & Licensing, Vitas
Hospice Care, Barbicide, M&I Bank and Pfizer
Our major national partners are the Department of Health and Human
Services: Administration of Children and Families, Center for Disease Control,
Office on Women Health, Office on Minority Health, American Cancer, American
Heart Association, United Healthcare, National Black Nurses Association,
National Minority Aids Council and American Medical Association.
About Girlfriends
Health Guide for Women of Color®
Girlfriends Health Guide for Women of Color mission is to uplift, promote and inform women of color about
health-related disparities affecting underserved and underrepresented ethnic
women. The magazine publishes 250,000 issues quarterly in three markets –
Milwaukee, Chicago and Atlanta – and plans to expand into other cities in 2010.
In three short years starting January 2007, The Girlfriends Network currently
has nearly 20,000 girlfriend members nation-wide and growing. Employing a
highly effective viral communications model, Girlfriends Health® also has an extensive online presence on Facebook and Twitter as well
as a dedicated channel on YouTube that educates women about the holistic
circles of life: mind, body, and soul.
#
# #
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact
Matthew Johnson: 414.372.5000
mjohnson@gfhguide.com
Publication
Reinforces its Presence as a Leader in Niche Media and
Launches Innovative Subscription
Campaign as it Prepares to Unveil Issues in More Cities
MILWAUKEE – Girlfriends Health Guide for Women of Color® announced today that it is transitioning to a
subscription-only based magazine after increased demands from readers
requesting home-delivery services. As part of the transition, and in keeping
with the tone of Girlfriends Health
Guide® events, the publication has launched a national “Shoe Giveaway”
offering one year of free shoes to a lucky subscriber.
“We’ve always believed in
the good nature of women who seek out our magazine and attend our events,” says
Matthew Johnson, Publisher and CEO of Girlfriends Health Guide®. “This effort is simply a ‘word-of-mouth’ piece that allows
us to continue solidifying the deeply-rooted relationship we’ve enjoyed with
them since the inception of the publication.”
Girlfriends
Health Guide® currently publishes more than 250,000 issues quarterly in
three markets – Milwaukee, Chicago and Atlanta – and plans to expand into Dallas
and Washington, D.C. in 2010. It also has an extensive online presence on
Facebook and Twitter as well as a dedicated channel on YouTube that educates
women of color about the holistic circles of life: mind, body and soul. The result is a powerful
niche media publication that drills into female communities of color with
messages of health education, empowerment and calls to action.
"Girlfriends
Health Guide® is a long overdue publication because it is targeting such
an important and underserved demographic," said Neil Foote, Publisher for Girlfriends Health Guide ®in Dallas,
which is scheduled to go to print in May of next year. "I'm excited about
working with Matt and bringing this brand to North Texas."
The
transition to a subscriber-only publication also allows Girlfriends Health Guide ® to quantify its impact and presence in
communities of color to current and would-be advertisers.
“Our magazine,” says
Johnson, “is one of a few publications whose mission it is to inform women of color about
health-related disparities affecting underserved and underrepresented ethnic
women. We look forward to demonstrating our continuing influence in this community
to our advertisers and providing them with a vehicle to reach this particular
audience.”
Readers are encouraged to visit www.girlfriendshealthguide.com to subscribe and enter to win in “Girlfriends Shoe Giveaway.”
About
Girlfriends Health Guide for Women of Color®
Girlfriends Health Guide
for Women of Color mission
is to uplift, promote and inform women of color about health-related
disparities affecting underserved and underrepresented ethnic women. The
magazine publishes 250,000 issues quarterly in three markets – Milwaukee,
Chicago and Atlanta – and plans to expand into other cities in 2010. In three
short years starting January 2007, The Girlfriends Network currently has nearly
20,000 girlfriend members nation-wide and growing. Employing a highly effective
viral communications model, Girlfriends Health®
also has an
extensive online presence on Facebook and Twitter as well as a dedicated
channel on YouTube that educates women about the holistic circles of life:
mind, body, and soul.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
American Cancer Society Illinois Division
Marisol Urquizo: 312.279.7367
Marisol.Urquizo@Cancer.org
The Sánchez Ricardo Agency
Midy Aponte: 202.244.4415
Midy@SanchezRicardo.com
ACTRESS KELLITA SMITH OF THE BERNIE MAC SHOW TO ATTEND “GIRLFRIENDS … GET THE FACTS,” EVENT AN EDUCATIONAL EVENING TO COMBAT BREAST CANCER AMONG WOMEN OF COLOR
American Cancer Society Illinois Division and Girlfriends Health Guide for Women of Color® Partner Together in Local Effort to Educate Women on the Importance of Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices CHICAGO – The American Cancer Society Illinois Division, the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University and Girlfriends Health Guide for Women of Color® will host a fun and educational evening designed to educate African American women on breast cancer and the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices. The event will take place this Thursday, National Mammography Day, October 15, 2009 at Morton’s Steak House (located at 65 East Wacker Place) between 5:00pm and 8:00pm.
Celebrity Kellita Smith, best known for her role as Wanda McCullough on the sitcom, The Bernie Mac Show, will attend the event and share her personal experience on maintaining a healthy lifestyle given her demanding schedule.
"Currently there are approximately 2.5 million breast cancer survivors living in America,” says Nomathemba D. Pressley, Director of Education for the Illinois Division of American Cancer Society. “We are seeking to increase that number specifically within the African American community."
The Breast Cancer Facts and Figures 2009-2010 released by the American Cancer Society reports that while breast cancer death rates continue to steadily decline, death rates among African American women remain approximately 40 percent higher than white women. “Girlfriends…GET THE FACTS,” a joint effort between the American Cancer Society and Girlfriends Health® seeks to bring awareness about the importance of women taking control of their health and educating participants on the need for early mammogram screening. Women who are without insurance are encouraged to bring identification and income verification in order to schedule and qualify for a free mammogram.
“Girlfriends Health® is thrilled to partner once again with the American Cancer Society and the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University for the ‘Girlfriends…GET THE FACTS’ event,” says Matthew Johnson, Group Publisher and CEO of Girlfriends Health Guide for Women of Color®. Girlfriends Health® is a Milwaukee-based magazine, with editions in Chicago and Atlanta, whose mission is to uplift, promote and inform women of color about health-related disparities affecting underserved and underrepresented ethnic women. “We hope that by introducing healthy lifestyle concepts, and giving tips on how to maintain the healthy lifestyle regimen, these negative numbers can be reduced.”
-more-
Sponsors for this event include the Metropolitan Chicago Breast Cancer Task Force and the Chicago Department of Public Health.
For more information, please contact Midy Aponte at (202) 330-3246 or Marisol Urquizo (312) 279-7367. (Please note: RSVPs for the event have reached maximum capacity.)
The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing nearly $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.
About Girlfriends Health Guide for Women of Color®
The health guide has been formed by highlighting Women of Color between the ages of 30 and 50 and their health issues. Girlfriends® feature columns by a variety of physicians who specialize in treating women, including an ob-gyn, and articles about healthy cooking, nutrition, fitness and prevention. The guide will also cover issues that are not physical, such as finance, business, depression, stress reduction and other related topics. For more information, please visit Girlfriendshealthguide.com.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2009
Girlfriends Health Guide
Matthew Johnson: 414.372.5000
mjohnson@gfhguide.com
The Sánchez Ricardo Agency
Midy Aponte: 202.244.4415
Midy@SanchezRicardo.com
MILWAUKEE-BASED GIRLFRIENDS HEALTH GUIDE FOR WOMEN OF COLOR® HIRES
WASHINGTON, D.C. COMMUNICATIONS FIRM, THE SÁNCHEZ RICARDO AGENCY
MILWAUKEE – Girlfriends Health Guide for Women of Color® has retained The Sánchez Ricardo Agency, a D.C.-based communications firm to support the magazine with media relations services as activities with the health guide are rapidly scheduled to unfold in regional markets throughout the country.
The Sánchez Ricardo Agency is a woman-owned, communications firm that implements media strategies for businesses, government agencies and non-profit organizations in order to advance, and bring attention to, critical issues affecting society today. It will also represent Girlfriends Health® in the nation’s capital during a critical time in the national healthcare reform debate.
Girlfriends Health Guide for Women of Color® is a Milwaukee-based magazine whose mission is to uplift, promote and inform women of color about health-related disparities affecting underserved and underrepresented ethnic women. The magazine publishes 250,000 issues quarterly in three markets – Milwaukee, Chicago and Atlanta – and plans to expand into other cities in 2010. Employing a highly effective viral communications model, Girlfriends Health® also has an extensive online presence on Facebook and Twitter as well as a dedicated channel on YouTube that educates women about the holistic circles of life: mind, body, and soul.
In the coming months, Sánchez Ricardo will provide media relations counsel and support as Girlfriends Health® unveils several targeted events designed to address the increasing health disparities affecting multicultural women. This includes a Health Disparities Summit in November 2009 with Wisconsin state legislators to discuss and move toward solutions that affect change regarding racial and ethnic health inequalities.
“The Sánchez Ricardo Agency has the experience, skills and heart necessary to help accelerate Girlfriends Health Guide’s® mission and provide us with the support needed to bring attention to our mission and goals,” says Matthew Johnson, Group Publisher for Girlfriends Health Guide®.
“I am thrilled to represent Girlfriends Health Guide®,” says Midy Aponte, President of The Sánchez Ricardo Agency. “Matthew has put together a magazine that is unique, fresh and innovative in its approach to educating women of color on health issues that affect them the most. And it is fast becoming a leading voice in building coalitions to address health disparities among women throughout the country.”
About
GIRLFRIENDS HEALTH GUIDE FOR WOMEN OF COLOR’S®
The health guide has been formed by highlighting women of color between the ages of 30 and 50 and their health issues. Girlfriends Health Guide® feature health disparity columns by a variety of physicians who specialize in treating women, including an ob-gyn, and articles about healthy cooking, nutrition, fitness and prevention. The guide also covers issues that are not physical, such as finance, business, depression, stress reduction and other related topics. For more information, please visit Girlfriendshealthguide.com.
About The Sanchez Ricardo Agency
The Sanchez Ricardo Agency is a Washington, D.C.-based public relations firm that conceptualizes and implements communications strategies in the areas of corporate communications, social marketing and public affairs for businesses, government agencies and non-profit organizations. For more information, please visit SanchezRicardo.com.
April 1, 2009
Girlfriends Health Guide
Matthew Johnson: 414.372.5000
mjohnson@gfhguide.com
Atlanta- April 1, 2009- Girlfriends Holdings, LLC, parent company of Girlfriends Health Guide for Women of Color is proud to announce the strategic partnership with the number one ABC-TV affiliate in the country, WSB TV2 of Atlanta Georgia. This partnership will consist of WSB-TV2 providing quarterly segment profiles of the women selected to appear on the popular health guide’s cover and Girlfriends Health Guide will provide profiles and editorial coverage content to support local stories aired on WSB-TV2.“This is an awesome opportunity for WSB-TV2 to continue the community outreach and public relations efforts that we’re so proud of over the years-this is a perfect fit”, says Jocelyn Dorsey, Executive Producer and host of People 2 People weekly program that chronicles events and newsmakers in metro Atlanta. “It also allows WSB-TV2 to reach out and uplift everyday women in Atlanta who are doing extraordinary things.”
“By showcasing everyday women as our cover-girls, we hope to provide a different and positive perspective for our women readers and WSB-TV2 viewers in Atlanta, says Linda Torrence, Atlanta’s Publisher. “I’m very happy that this partnership will allow us to bring positive news stories about the outstanding women [girlfriends] who would ordinarily get passed up for this type of public acknowledgement.”
“In addition to the well deserved publicity for these women, we must understand statistics have shown a dramatic disparity between the number of women of African-American, Hispanic, or Asian-American ethnicity and the number of non-ethnic women in higher positions and an even larger disparity between minority women. We are very concerned with the health disparities among women of color in Atlanta, and its time to inform, educate and uplift the women here”, says Matthew Johnson, President/CEO of Girlfriends Holdings, LLC , the parent company of the quarterly health guide.
GIRLFRIENDS HEALTH GUIDE FOR WOMEN OF COLOR’S mission is to uplift, promote and inform women of color about health related disparities that focus on ethnic women who are underserved and under represented. The GIRLFRIENDS NETWORK encourages the woman of color to understand that they’re not alone and being there for one another is truly the everlasting bond of friendship that will never be broken. The health guide has been formed by highlighting Women of Color between the ages of 30 and 50 and their health issues.
September 15, 2008
Girlfriends Health Guide
Matthew Johnson: 414.372.5000
mjohnson@gfhguide.com
“AMERICA’S #1 GIRLFRIEND”
Chicago, IL—September 15, 2008. Girlfriends Health Guide for Women of Color is pleased to announce that it has landed an interview with Michelle Obama, wife of Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama. The Health Guide will publish a special issue featuring Michelle Obama on its cover. This special issue will appear at the Congressional Black Caucus Convention on Sept 24th – 28th.in Washington DC.”Barack & Michelle have been friends of mine for a long time and I’m very proud of what both of them have managed to accomplish...and it’s not over”, says Illinois State Senator Mattie Hunter”. “Michelle embodies all the qualities that a woman and a first lady should possess”. Look for Senator Hunter’s column, “Straight from the Capital”, inside the quarterly issue of Girlfriends Health Guide-Chicago.
“We are very excited that Michelle Obama granted us this interview”, says Group Publisher Matthew Johnson”. “We are still a young publication, less than two years old, so getting an interview with one of America’s most admired and respected women of color is paramount for us. More importantly, we hope that Michelle’s interview will bring attention to the strength and commitment it takes to balance marriage, family and career”, says Johnson.
Born on January 17, 1964, Michelle Robinson was raised in a one-bedroom apartment on Chicago's Southside. After high school, Michelle Robinson majored in sociology at Princeton University, graduating with cum laude honors in 1985. From there, she attended Harvard, where she earned her law degree in 1988, graduating one year ahead of her future husband, Barack- whom she hadn't met. yet but attended the same law school.
When asked about what made her fall in love with him, she replied, "for the same reason many other people respect him: His connection with people."
Even though her husband is the center of attention, Michelle has zero concerns about fidelity in their marriage. She told Ebony magazine in March 2006, "I never worry about things I can't affect, and with fidelity, that is between Barack and me, and if somebody can come between us, we didn't have much to begin with."
“We are very happy to have Michelle Obama on our special collector’s edition for 2008”, says Ptosha Davis, Associate Group Publisher. “She gives me hope as a woman of color and she exhibits the best that exist among women of color. I believe that she personifies what a strong African-American woman should be. She will make an awesome first lady and Girlfriends Health Guide’s number one girlfriend in America”, say Davis.
Girlfriends Health Guide since it’s launch on January of 2007. Girlfriends Health Guide Magazine has grown considerably. We currently have over 15,000 women of color in our network in Chicago, Atlanta and Milwaukee. Girlfriends Health Guide is published by Girlfriends Holdings, LLC, and is distributed in Chicago, Atlanta and Milwaukee. It’s a quarterly published health guide designed to inform, educate and up-lift all-women.
