On one calm Saturday afternoon mothers, grandmothers, daughters, and granddaughters gathered for a healing conversation surrounding trauma.
The tables had all been set with deep care to resemble a fancy vintage tea party like something out of “Bridgerton” and all attendees brought the fashion to match.
Heddy Keith sat at the head of her table with daughter LeAnn and friend Shirley Holt by her side enjoying the petite sandwiches, fruits and desserts that accompany any proper tea party.
This empowering group of cross-generational black women had not only gathered for tea, but also to converse about the issues surrounding them and their families. Topics varied from trust, compromise, independence and self-care among the women allowing for flowing conversation.
This Mom & Me Vintage Tea Party is an excellent example of the type of care and service the Center for Leadership of Afrikan Women’s Wellness (CLAWW) offers the Milwaukee community.
CLAWW founder and CEO, Heddy Kieth, originated the organization after writing her memoir and looking back at the past traumas of her life.
It was at this time in her life that she learned of the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) quiz, and discovered she scored high on the test. This put her at higher risk of developing health problems later in her life.
As a life-long, selfless caretaker of others, Keith wanted to help others unpack their trauma and improve their health situations.
“I felt like that writing that book helped me release some of that trauma,” Keith said. “I wanted to offer that to other women.”
Keith set out at this point to delve into these subjects even deeper by attending trauma conferences and speaking with other women in similar places. Soon she found other women and built a community of people interested in doing something to help the community of black women in Milwaukee.
“Our mission is to help black women heal from trauma and we chose black women because of the trauma going on in our community,” Keith said, “… black women can help spread the word of how we heal from trauma.”
Now CLAWW is going into its seventh year as a non-profit organization with involvement in several different programs.
CLAWW hosts Lunch & Learn events to educate its members on the importance of a balanced diet and the steps that can be taken to improve one’s physical health.
Keith said, “… a lot of us are dying from diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and it can be prevented through diet.”
Another important traumatic experience that CLAWW has been here to help their community with is the loss of a child.
“It’s a very traumatic experience when you lose a child, and we just like for women to know that we’re here,” Keith said. “Their pain is our pain; we bear it together.”
To show these women support during a difficult time CLAWW has developed the Gifts of Hope service which sends care packages to the mothers suffering through this loss.
CLAWW has developed a strong relationship with the Rooted & Rising Community Organization of Washington Park which provides the space for many of CLAWW’s events.
It’s fitting that CLAWW works with an organization called Rooted & Rising because that is a great explanation for what this organization has been able to accomplish in its first seven years. Keith, board members and volunteers have successfully grown strong roots in their community that will only continue to rise as CLAWW moves forward.