In a recent episode of The Day With Trae, host Trae Holiday welcomed Jackie Vaughn, Executive Director of Surge Reproductive Justice, and Myesha Mitchell, owner of My Time for Massage. The discussion spotlighted their collaborative initiative, Black and Worthy of Wellness, which addresses the systemic challenges of medical racism and chronic stress through a powerful fusion of grassroots policy and intentional community care.

Vaughn emphasized the importance of community-directed advocacy, encouraging Black women to leverage their lived experiences to shape policy, rather than feeling constrained by legal language. Complementing this approach, Mitchell shared her journey of building a successful massage therapy practice from the ground up, which now operates on a pay-what-you-can structure to ensure that wellness services remain accessible to those who need them most.

Their partnership aims to combat "medical weathering"—the institutional phenomenon where chronic stress from racism leads to accelerated health decline in Black women—by repositioning massage as an essential preventative health measure. Applications for the program’s second cohort are opening soon, and Surge Reproductive Justice is currently seeking community volunteers to assist with voter registration efforts at upcoming festivals.

Learn more about Surge at surgereprojustice.org and My Time for Massage at mytimeformassage.com 

Catch “The Day With Trae” Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 11 a.m. on all Converge streaming platforms.