{"id":233296,"date":"2025-07-30T13:15:55","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T17:15:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=233296"},"modified":"2025-08-05T10:55:03","modified_gmt":"2025-08-05T14:55:03","slug":"rooted-in-wisdom-garden-party-celebrates-menopause-sisterhood-and-health-equity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2025\/07\/rooted-in-wisdom-garden-party-celebrates-menopause-sisterhood-and-health-equity\/","title":{"rendered":"Rooted in Wisdom: Garden Party Celebrates Menopause, Sisterhood, and Health Equity"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nearly 80 women gathered at the Community Health Center in Middletown (CHC) on July 19 for Rooted in Wisdom: A Menopause Garden Party<\/em>, a joyful, intergenerational celebration of wisdom, wellness, and womanhood. With floral bouquets in hand and shared stories in their hearts, attendees came together to reclaim the menopause journey: openly, proudly, and in community.<\/p>\n

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Women celebrating at the July 19, 2025 community-led Rooted in Wisdom: A Menopause Garden Party (Photo by Barbara McClane).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This community-led event was part of the UConn Health Disparities Institute’s Menopause Equity Initiative (MEI), a statewide effort to break the silence, reduce stigma, and create community-informed solutions to support women’s midlife health.<\/p>\n

Sponsored by CHC and the Epsilon Omicron Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated\u00ae, the event was co-hosted by DeLita Rose-Daniels and Yvette Highsmith, CHC’s vice president of the Eastern Region. Their vision created a space where participants could learn, connect, and celebrate menopause as a shared journey rather than a silent struggle.<\/p>\n

“Rooted in Wisdom was a powerful example of what it means to center community voices in health equity work,” said Dr. Linda Sprague Martinez, director of HDI. “<\/em>Women are experts in their own lived experience. This event was special because it was created by women of color for women of color to reclaim their stories and build collective knowledge about menopause. HDI is committed to supporting intergenerational, culturally grounded conversations like these, which are needed to address health and health care disparities.”<\/p>\n

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Photo by Barbara McClane.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The event opened with a screening of the (M) Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause<\/em>, the first PBS documentary to spotlight the complex realities of the menopause transition. The film resonated deeply with the audience, evoking both quiet reflection and vocal commentary. “Women were connected to every word,” said DeLita Rose-Daniels. “It was an unspoken affirmation to me that women felt connected, seen, and heard about their menopause experience, a piece of them they probably never really shared out loud with anyone.”<\/p>\n

Following the film, a “talkback” session with expert health professionals helped break down myths and medical misinformation, giving voice to common but often undiscussed symptoms. Guests asked questions, shared personal stories, and received guidance from:<\/p>\n