Alexa Imani Spencer

New York

Maternal Health Writer at Freelance

Current: MFA Creative Writing, Nonfiction @ColumbiaSOA. @HowardU alumna. Prev: @WordInBlack @MemphisNews. // Gulf Coast born & bred.

Articles

Want to Retire Early? Follow These Tips From Twin Sisters Who Retired In Their 30s

May 15, 2024 | blackenterprise.com | Alexa Imani Spencer

Want to Retire Early? Follow These Tips From Twin Sisters Who Retired In Their 30s Here are three tips from the Carter sisters to set yourself up for early retirement success. Originally Published Sept. 3, 2021. These twin sisters retired in their 30s and have advice for anyone who wants to do the same.
Measles 2024: What To Know About The Outbreak

Mar 12, 2024 | seattlemedium.com | Alexa Imani Spencer

by Alexa SpencerThe United States is experiencing its greatest measles outbreak in years. As of late February, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 41 cases across 16 states: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York City, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington. That’s three times more cases in the first two months of 2024 than in 2020 altogether — 13 for the entire year.
Measles 2024: What to Know About the Outbreak

Mar 11, 2024 | wordinblack.com | Alexa Imani Spencer

The United States is experiencing its greatest measles outbreak in years. As of late February, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 41 cases across 16 states: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York City, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington. That’s three times more cases in the first two months of 2024 than in 2020 altogether — 13 for the entire year. Last year, 58 cases were reported.
What Do The New COVID-19 Guidelines Mean For Your Health?

Mar 8, 2024 | seattlemedium.com | Alexa Imani Spencer

by Alexa SpencerThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced new COVID-19 recommendations on March 1. The list of guidelines includes an end to five-day at-home isolation periods for people who test positive for the virus. The updated guidelines — called Respiratory Virus Guidance — offer a “unified approach” to addressing respiratory illnesses, rather than a COVID-19-specific guidance. All recommendations now apply to COVID-19, RSV, and the flu.
What Do the New COVID-19 Guidelines Mean for Your Health?

Mar 7, 2024 | wordinblack.com | Alexa Imani Spencer

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced new COVID-19 recommendations on March 1. The list of guidelines includes an end to five-day at-home isolation periods for people who test positive for the virus. The updated guidelines — called Respiratory Virus Guidance — offer a “unified approach” to addressing respiratory illnesses, rather than a COVID-19-specific guidance. All recommendations now apply to COVID-19, RSV, and the flu.
3 Black Nutrition Experts Inspiring Healthier Lives One Recipe at a Time

Mar 1, 2024 | wordinblack.com | Alexa Imani Spencer

You may be familiar with the saying, “Let thy food be thy medicine, thy medicine shall be thy food.” The mantra speaks to the power of plants, especially when preventing and managing chronic illnesses. Poor nutrition contributes to the development of many chronic conditions, including heart disease, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.
Why Gunshot Injuries Disrupt Manhood for Black Men

Feb 29, 2024 | wordinblack.com | Alexa Imani Spencer

It used to be that Tariq prided himself on providing for his family, earning enough money to pay for food, the rent, and more. “I used to tell my wife, ‘Hey babe, you don’t like your job? You don’t have to work. You can go back to school, stay at home, and do whatever you want. I’ll take care of everything, and I was in a position to do that,” he says. But that was before he was shot.
The Healing Powers Of ‘The Color Purple’

Feb 26, 2024 | seattlemedium.com | Alexa Imani Spencer

by Alexa SpencerGrowing up, “The Color Purple” was more than just a movie playing on the television in my family’s living room — it was a window into the future challenges of racism and sexism I’d face as a Black woman. Watching the 1985 classic for the first time, I was too young to fully grasp the depth of its message. But now, along with my personal experiences, I report on depression, domestic violence, and maternal mortality — issues that impact Black women.
Black Women Are Murdered 6 Times More Than White Women

Feb 20, 2024 | seattlemedium.com | Alexa Imani Spencer

by Alexa SpencerBlack women are, on average, six times more likely to be murdered than white women, according to a new report. The rates are even higher depending on where the women live and during what time period. The analysis, conducted by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, analyzed two decades of homicide trends for women ages 25 to 44. Published in the Lancet on Feb. 7, the study included data from 1999 to 2020.
Black Women Are Murdered 6 Times More Than White Women

Feb 20, 2024 | wordinblack.com | Alexa Imani Spencer

Black women are, on average, six times more likely to be murdered than white women, according to a new report. The rates are even higher depending on where the women live and during what time period. RELATED: Why Don’t Police Find Missing Black FolksThe analysis, conducted by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, analyzed two decades of homicide trends for women ages 25 to 44. Published in the Lancet on Feb. 7, the study included data from 1999 to 2020.