United Black Mothers of America - Physical, Emotional Wellness...

Championing self care for Black mothers where we can safely walk, talk and be well together to strengthen our social, physical and emotional wellness.

United Black Mothers of America is founded to support and strengthen the physical, emotional and social wellness of Black mothers.

A world where Black Mothers can protect their health and wellness without guilt; and allies want to support and listen.

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United Black Mothers of America is founded to support and strengthen the physical, emotional and social wellness of Black mothers.

We encourage and support Black mothers to place their health as a top priority by engaging in wellness activity, education, and healthy daily practices. We are a safe space of zero explanation for Black mothers; where we can share, find relatability and have access to resources that promote health and wellness. We Are Deserving.

Who we are

Please see below the members of our Advisory Board.

Click on a member to learn more.

Wendy
Batiste-Johnson

Founder & President

Dr. Jennifer C.
Pierre

Leslie
Vanhorn

Chidimma
Ozor Commer

Lisa
Chapman

Wendy
Batiste-Johnson

Founder & President

Wendy Batiste-Johnson is the founder of United Black Mothers of America, a nonprofit organization developed for strengthening the wellness of Black Mothers, specifically but not limited to, providing access for therapy and physical, emotional and social wellness support. UBMA was created during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic and proceeding the horrific and public murders of Black Americans in our country. Wendy participated in a live local news panel of Black mothers who were asked to discuss the tough conversations being had in the home with their children during this racially charged time. This authentic, heartfelt and relatable discussion was an unexpected cathartic experience for Wendy; which ignited the foundation of support she aims to provide for fellow Black mothers with UBMA.

In spring 2019, Wendy resigned from her career as a Retail Real Estate Executive with over 20 years of experience, combining flair for creating excellent customer experiences with an aptitude to monitor retail trends and exceed financial projections in fluctuating retail markets. She held leadership roles as an entrepreneur in retail for 10 years, and also in a corporate setting overseeing real estate development, marketing and merchandising, brand activation campaigns, security, leasing, along with tenant, customer, and community relations.

Wendy is an active and committed citizen who proudly serves in the metro Detroit community as she understands the importance of community engagement and representation; she serves on the board of directors for the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Henry Ford Macomb Hospital, Macomb Community College Foundation & the Detroit Public Theatre.

Wendy earned a Bachelor of Science degree at Cornell University. She went on to receive the Women in Leadership Certification at Cornell University SC Johnson College of Business. She is married to her loving and supportive husband and they share two thriving children.

DR. JENNIFER
PIERRE

Dr. Jennifer Pierre is the founder and CEO of JenteelNature Health, a boutique health consultancy. As a physician and public health professional, she specializes in women’s health, with the goal of improving reproductive health outcomes and reducing health disparities. Dr. Pierre integrates her knowledge of medicine with public health acumen by designing public health and wellness programs, and provides medical advisory for non-profits and corporate entities. She has been voted 10Best in the Natural Nutmeg Readers’ Choice Awards repeatedly.

Dr. Pierre is a licensed Naturopathic physician in Arizona and Connecticut. She received her Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Sciences in Tempe, Arizona. Dr. Pierre is a native New Yorker and alumna of Cornell University and University at Albany, School of Public Health. Her experience as a public health professional and advocate spans over 15 years, with roles in health research, prenatal health education and mental health counseling. She currently serves as an Executive Board Member for the Divine Grace Foundation, Nutrition Security Solutions and United Black Mothers of America.

Prior to becoming a physician, Dr. Pierre received certifications in prenatal and Kundalini yoga, which she emphatically integrates into her patient care protocols. Her love of patient care has expanded into global health initiatives, participating in medical missions in Haiti, Mexico and Kenya. Preceding the explosion of the “natural hair movement”, Dr. Pierre was an influencer whose tips for healthy hair growth, treatment and styling were widely sought after in the natural hair community. When she is not seeing patients, Dr. Pierre enjoys prayer and meditation, traveling, fashion, reading, and cooking vegetarian meals that make meat lovers reconsider.

Chidimma
Ozor Commer

Chidimma Ozor Commer, LLMSW, MA, E-RYT® 200, RYT® 500, YACEP®, is a social justice advocate, a mental health professional, small business owner, educator, yoga + meditation teacher, and the host of conscious + aligned with Chidimma, a podcast focused on social justice, racial justice, anti- racism, anti-oppression, and highlighting the stories of diverse and marginalized BIPOC disruptive storytellers.

She earned a BA in Organizational Studies, an MA in Liberal Studies, with a concentration on Organizations, both from the University of Michigan and a Master’s of Social Work, from the University of Michigan School of Social work. Shortly after earning her first master’s degree, her journey took her to Las Vegas due to the tough Michigan economy, living there for nearly 10 years. The Divine redirected her to her hometown of Ann Arbor, MI where she became a social science researcher in higher ed and also began a social justice podcast focused on smashing the stigma associated with recovering from alcohol and/or substance use disorder, surviving intimate partner violence and/or sexual assault, and living with mental illness.

During her time as an MSW student, she co-founded the School’s In Session Educational Series, and was a Global Activities Program Scholar. Her consulting firm, Chidimma Ozor Consulting, educates and facilitates anti-racism, anti-oppression, diversity, equity, and inclusion trainings for police departments, churches, schools, nonprofits, recovery communities, and more. She will also be opening up her private clinical practice providing therapy for Black women, Black folks, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. She dreams of one day opening up a comprehensive, holistic wellness center. In her free time, she spends time with loved ones, rides her Peloton, eats salads, French fries, donuts, and red velvet cupcakes, travels, enjoys the sun, and thinks of poignant and thought-provoking statements for the statement tee company, black radical scholars, that she co-founded with a colleague at the School of Social Work.

When she is not consulting, she is a social science researcher whose research focus is advocacy and activism in social work and the relationship to self-care as well as determining whether or not social enterprise organizations are actually helpful to the communities in which they are a part.