Nashville Black Wellness Collective works to fight health disparities in Black community

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – One business owner knows it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to be healthy and can be more challenging for some. ”For many of us in Black and brown communities, there are a lot of us who are surrounded by diet and lifestyle illnesses within our family,” Nielah Burnett, owner of Inner G Yoga and Juice Bar, said. It’s part of why she and others joined the Nashville Black Wellness Collective, prioritizing an active lifestyle. While the collective can look like a series of fun activities — such as kayaking, horseback riding and hiking — founders Claude and Dr. Kim Walker aim to tackle a bigger problem. ”1.6 million more Black lives were lost too soon because of various health-related conditions,” Dr. Walker said. “That is a startling statistic, and that led us to have a response to it.” The duo believes the response begins with connection and ends with empowerment. ”With our presence here, it actually connects community to information, community to Black businesses, and community to the people,” Claude said. Members like Kendra Bradford say they feel supported and believe the impact is better together. “I’m normalizing it for other people,” Bradford...