A Topeka health advocate films documentary on black women's health

A long-time Topeka health advocate develops a documentary film to increase awareness about black women's health.

She’s a familiar face to many, Chris Omni, also known as the "health hippie" created a documentary film called, ‘Kujima Health’ to shed light on the health disparities that black women face.

"We want to make sure that our story is told," Executive Director of Kujima Health, Chris Omni said. "We have this strong obligation to be superhero's, that strong black women syndrome to take care of everyone else at the expense of taking care of our own selves so that's why this movement is critical."

Kujima health aims to increase awareness of black women's health through a three-act ethnographic documentary following the lives of four black women. The second act took place at the State Capital on Satuday.

"Being at the Capital we are showing and addressing those disparities, so social support is right here. The activity of choice that I identified in my thesis was walking, so that's why we're focusing on walking here," Omni explained.

Chris says this film is purposed to"LIFT" every voice, "the L is to learn to make my health a top priority, the I is to inspire other black women to make their heath a top priority, the F is to forge new paths to health and wellbeing, and the T is to transform the environment to make health happen, hence the capital.”

“We normally don't have a documentary filmed in this type of environment, so we're transforming the environment in which we walk," Omni emphasized.

This film received a grant from the Topeka Community Foundation along with support from the community, Chris Omni says she was able to do more than what she expected.

"We were able to recruit over 100 black women to be involved and not just take the initiative and doing the surveys, but also go out and participate in phase one and phase two of our walking program and from that we evolved from not just the thesis but into what's called the Kujima Collective."

This documentary continues onto a live storytelling and art exhibit that will be taking place in March.

"Telling these women stories, somebody in the audience, somebody somewhere is going to hear and say, 'I'm not alone, that explains it, I'm so glad that I was able to hear somebody else's voice.' We have to elevate that."

Kujima Health is scheduled to be completed in July. For more information,