Team Heart Pace Queens
Why I'm Fundraising
I'm excited to be nominated for Go Red for Women's Woman of Impact campaign. As part of this year's class of changemakers, I've brought together a team that's working to make the greatest impact possible on women's health. We will be raising much-needed funds for the American Heart Association and working to improve the health of our communities. I hope we can count on your support!
In 2004, Go Red For Women was born as a campaign to raise awareness among women about their greatest health threat — heart disease. Slowly, the campaign grew into a movement bringing together thousands of women. Go Red for Women is the trusted, passionate force for change. It provides a platform for women and their families to lead healthier lives and transform communities. It's not just about wearing red. It's not just about sharing heart-health facts. It's about:
- Providing opportunities for women to take charge of their health
- Building communities that support access to healthy choices
- Demanding equal access to health care for all women and their families
- Increasing women in STEM in upcoming generations
Our team is focused on preventing heart disease and stroke. We're promoting healthy lifestyles, building awareness and raising critically-needed funds to support research and education initiatives. Cardiovascular diseases, which include heart disease and stroke, claim the life of a woman about every 80 seconds. We hope you will join us on our mission because about 80% of these diseases may be prevented.
The time is now. Women are leaning into the idea that when we take a stand, commit, and work together, real change is possible. To support my campaign, click on the Donate to Nominee button below.
Central VA Woman of Impact - Spring 2026
Team Heart Pace Queens
Heart disease has touched my family deeply—many of my loved ones have battled high blood pressure, and my maternal great grandmother lost her life to a heart attack. Her story fuels my commitment to change the narrative for women, especially women of color, when it comes to heart health.
As a mother of two active children, I’m determined to be the healthiest version of myself so I can be here for them, and I want the same for every woman. Through my work and passion with Black Girls RUN!, I’ve dedicated my life to supporting and building a community where women can prioritize their own health and wellness without guilt, barriers or limits. I started my own running journey in 2010 after being told by a doctor I was "way too young" to already be on high blood pressure medication. I have used running to transform my health, ultimately losing over 100 pounds after each of my pregnancies, and now using that experience to inspire others.
Because of my personal story — as a mother, as someone with a family history of high blood pressure and heart disease, and as a woman committed to wellness through community, the American Heart Association’s Woman of Impact campaign intersects directly with the mission that I personally stand for and Black Girls RUN! champions: to shift culture, change outcomes and foster sustainable health among Black women.
Did you know?
- Cardiovascular disease is the #1 cause of death for women in the U.S., and Black women carry the highest burden of this disease among women.
- About 59% of Black women ages 20 and over live with some form of cardiovascular disease (including heart disease, stroke, or hypertension).
- Black women are more likely to face strokes at higher rates compared to white women.
As a Woman of Impact, I’m saying: I not only want to support the American Heart Association’s work, but I also want to live it, walk it and run it with others. I want to build spaces where we don’t just survive heart disease, we prevent it together.
