Miami’s Howard seeks to educate, spread awareness through Go Red for Women
American Heart Association campaign runs through April 10
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Published
Miami University's Tekeia Howard speaks at a recent event. Howard is a nominee for the American Heart Association's Woman of Impact for the Go Red for Women campaign.
Miami’s Howard seeks to educate, spread awareness through Go Red for Women
•
Published
There are several reasons why the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign is important to Tekeia Howard.
It’s a way to spread awareness. It’s a way to educate. And it’s a way to honor the memory of her mother, Brenda Auster-Hollis.
Howard, director for programming for Miami University’s Office of Transformational and Inclusive Excellence, is serving this year as a nominee for the American Heart Association Woman of Impact for the Go Red for Women campaign. She leads a team of 14, including three other members from Miami, to raise funds and awareness for the campaign.
“I would be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t know someone else who has been affected by heart disease,” Howard said, noting that cardiovascular disease claims the lives of 1 in 3 women annually. “This small thing, information about heart health, can change lives.”
Three years ago, Howard lost her mother to a heart attack. The two had spoken at 5 p.m. that day, and by 9, her mother had lost consciousness.
“You start thinking back when you learn about some of the symptoms,” Howard said. “That is why I decided to say yes when I was nominated as a Woman of Impact. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer for men and women, and for Black women and men, the disparity is huge.
“If we understand more about heart health, we understand how we can make a difference.”
Howard and her team are competing against other regional groups through April 10. Howard has a goal of $70,000 in funds raised.
It is an ambitious goal, acknowledged Elise Radina, Miami’s associate provost. But it is one Radina and the rest of Howard’s team are eager to help her try to meet.
“When I saw Tekeia was a Woman of Impact, I said, ‘I’ll join.’ I know this is something that is really important to her for her mother’s legacy,” Radina said. “It has a lot of personal meaning.”
Joining Howard and Radina from Miami are Bennyce Hamilton, Regional deputy Title IX coordinator, and Shayna Smith, interim director of career education and inclusion in the Center for Career Exploration and Success.
Radina said team members are reaching out to their individual networks for support.
“This helps raise the level of awareness,” Radina said. “Tekeia is bringing attention to this area of health education that is not often put on the forefront by being a Woman of Impact.”
Howard hopes to engage with student organizations as well as local businesses and community members. There are plans for events throughout March and April, which included the March Agape Feast with the Interfaith Center, a donation collection at the April 1 Miami softball home game vs. Toledo, and Go Red for Oxford on April 4 at the Greater Oxford Group.
“I would love to see Oxford go red,” Howard said. “It’s important for us to advocate for research so we can learn more. It’s important to keep that piece of heart health on our minds every day.”
It’s a way to spread awareness. It’s a way to educate. And it’s a way to honor the memory of her mother, Brenda Auster-Hollis.
Howard, director for programming for Miami University’s Office of Transformational and Inclusive Excellence, is serving this year as a nominee for the American Heart Association Woman of Impact for the Go Red for Women campaign. She leads a team of 14, including three other members from Miami, to raise funds and awareness for the campaign.
“I would be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t know someone else who has been affected by heart disease,” Howard said, noting that cardiovascular disease claims the lives of 1 in 3 women annually. “This small thing, information about heart health, can change lives.”
Three years ago, Howard lost her mother to a heart attack. The two had spoken at 5 p.m. that day, and by 9, her mother had lost consciousness.
“You start thinking back when you learn about some of the symptoms,” Howard said. “That is why I decided to say yes when I was nominated as a Woman of Impact. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer for men and women, and for Black women and men, the disparity is huge.
“If we understand more about heart health, we understand how we can make a difference.”
Howard and her team are competing against other regional groups through April 10. Howard has a goal of $70,000 in funds raised.
It is an ambitious goal, acknowledged Elise Radina, Miami’s associate provost. But it is one Radina and the rest of Howard’s team are eager to help her try to meet.
“When I saw Tekeia was a Woman of Impact, I said, ‘I’ll join.’ I know this is something that is really important to her for her mother’s legacy,” Radina said. “It has a lot of personal meaning.”
Joining Howard and Radina from Miami are Bennyce Hamilton, Regional deputy Title IX coordinator, and Shayna Smith, interim director of career education and inclusion in the Center for Career Exploration and Success.
Radina said team members are reaching out to their individual networks for support.
“This helps raise the level of awareness,” Radina said. “Tekeia is bringing attention to this area of health education that is not often put on the forefront by being a Woman of Impact.”
Howard hopes to engage with student organizations as well as local businesses and community members. There are plans for events throughout March and April, which included the March Agape Feast with the Interfaith Center, a donation collection at the April 1 Miami softball home game vs. Toledo, and Go Red for Oxford on April 4 at the Greater Oxford Group.
“I would love to see Oxford go red,” Howard said. “It’s important for us to advocate for research so we can learn more. It’s important to keep that piece of heart health on our minds every day.”
Established in 1809, Miami University is located in Oxford, Ohio, with regional campuses in Hamilton and Middletown, a learning center in West Chester, and a European study center in Luxembourg.
