1991, P.J. Viviansayles was diagnosed with cancer. She had three children, no job, no car, and nowhere to take her tears and fears. There were literally no support groups in her low-income South Central Los Angeles neighborhood. She found herself struggling for both financial and emotional support as she battled a cancer diagnosis. Determined to create community, P.J. solicited other survivors to share her dream of better health and survivor sisterhood.
Beverly Rhine worked for the City of Compton helping to place children of incarcerated parents, before her breast cancer diagnosis in 1991. She used her superb organizing skills to help fellow survivor P.J. Viviansayles organize newly diagnosed women in South Los Angeles. Together they created a loving space and opportunity for women to share in their stories of survival.
The women in early President Emerita Carolyn Tapp’s chemo cohort were sharing $250, thirty day share of treatment medication. They were stuffing balloons in their bosoms as makeshift breast forms because they did not have the money or insurance for proper prosthetics.
Incensed by such injustice and disparity, PJ Viviasayles, Co-founder Beverly Rhine and original member Carolyn Tapp took their passion for dignity in healing, accessible health care and culturally sensitive treatment all the way to Washington, D.C., where they lobbied congress to make laws that would support survivorship for under-resourced, marginalized breast cancer patients in our community and around the country.
Beverly Rhine
Isis Jones-Pickens is a dynamic advocate, educator and writer. At the core of all her work is an intention for justice. Her goals as a professional mirror her goals as a spiritualist. She wants to expand the idea of community and service, to include the whole being. She is a writer by trade, who found her niche through community research and programming. Along with her passion for women’s health and civic engagement, Isis has experience in international women’s advocacy, grassroots organizing, data collection, and non-profit management. Her work in advocacy and organizational management has allowed Isis to help bridge the communication gap between community and scientific research.
Isis is the founder of PickensSolutions, LLC, a consulting firm focused on organizational management and research. She is the former Executive Director and current program advisor and research consult for Women of Color Breast Cancer Survivors’ Support Project (WOC).
Membership
Stephanie Beverly-Smith, is the Director of Women of Color Breast Cancer Survivors’ Support Project. She is a breast cancer survivor and advocate. She came to Women of Color as a new survivor in 2016 devastated by her diagnosis and searching for hope.
She quickly found a role as a community breast health educator, volunteering with the outreach team at health fairs and community forums. In 2019 she joined the staff as the Program Director and focused much of her work on community outreach, survivorship care, membership programming and management, as well as of participation in WOC’s culturally relevant research department.
She joined the board and worked with WOC’s leadership through two difficult transitions, before becoming then Executive Director. Under her leadership, WOC was able to successfully navigate the pandemic and expand vital programming.
Madeline Wilson is a 19-year triple negative breast cancer survivor diagnosed at stage IIIC. Her goal in life is to have a positive impact on improvement in the disparity of health outcomes in her community of South Los Angeles and other underserved communities where African Americans are continuing to suffer and die at higher rates than other ethnic groups. She found Women of Color Breast Cancer Survivors’ Support Project through a friend who had also been diagnosed. There she found sisterhood and community. She was able to talk to women who had gone through the same experience, discussing everything from ongoing side effects to fear of recurrence.
Madeline served on the board of directors at WOC and holds research, training and navigation positions within various organizations and research groups. Her work includes positions with America Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, Baldwin Hills; City of Hope; Dr. Susan Love Foundation; National Breast Cancer Coalition, Kaiser Healthier Living and more.
“I decided my life had to mean something so I speak, every chance I get, to women and men about their health, to be aware of the things we can change”.
Jacqueline Furby (Jackie) is not just a successful breast cancer survivor, she’s an amazing breast cancer THRIVER!
Jackie beat breast cancer three separate times in 1986, 1988, and 2001 thru to her 4th and most recent metastatic diagnosis in 2017. In spite of these health challenges (as well as other comorbidities) Jackie continues to be a tremendous inspiration to newly diagnosed survivors through her very special communications ministry that includes hundreds of phone calls, texts, and emails she frequently sends. She also provides ongoing support and encouragement to long term survivors through her communications ministry.
Jackie has been a member of WOC since 2002, served on the board of WOC and co-facilitates some of our support groups as well as breast health seminars where the focus is breast health and the importance of early detection and treatment as keys to survival. Jackie has also had the opportunity to be a part of NBCC (National Breast Cancer Coalition) advocacy training and lobby days in Washington, DC multiple times. Her personal commitment is to continue educating and fundraising for breast health.
Jackie is a a retired LAUSD teacher and administrator. You’ll find Jackie’s open heart and beautiful smile ready to welcome you when you come to Women of Color for support.
Lynn Fowler is a compassionate and dynamic leader and support group contributor. You can often find her and her husband Al leading the Women of Color walking group that meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at the Ruben Ingold Park in View Park.
Lynn joined WOC when her sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. She quickly learned as much as she could and was a loving caregiver before being diagnosed with breast cancer herself in 2015. While undergoing treatment and recovery, Lynn selflessly served as President of the Board of Directors for several terms, dedicating her time and talent to the service of others. Today Lynn continues to serve WOC members desemminating information booklets and supporting new survivors through our navigation program, and providing support, resources and frequent check-in calls and visits to survivors.
Social Justice and Self-Advocacy
The fight for African American and other breast cancer survivors of color has led Women of Color into uncharted territory. Since, 1991, we have been bedside nurses to survivors without families. We have bargained for discounts with funeral directors. We marched streets from South Central to Sacramento. We have waited in office buildings on Wilshire Blvd. We have lobbied for legislation to congress on Capital Hill.
In the struggle for our lives and the lives of those yet to be diagnosed, we fought for culturally relevant health care, access to fresh fruits and vegetables, earlier diagnosis, adequate cancer treatment, disability benefits and mental health support. We found ourselves in warrior stance against systems of racial, social and economic injustice.
Today, like our founding angels and strong leadership before us we continue the legacy of sisterhood, inclusion, support and care. Support, Intervention, Education, & Change.
