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A Call to Action for Heart Health and Wellness
Washington, D.C. (February 5, 2025) – The DMV Links Chapters is presenting its 17th annual Red Dress event, a transformative virtual initiative dedicated to empowering women to prioritize their heart health. Guided by this year’s theme of “Live Long, Heart Strong,” the event will be hosted by veteran award-winning journalist and heart attack survivor Jennifer Donelan and moderated by Symone Sanders-Townsend, host of MSNBC’s The Weekend. The event will stream live on Facebook on Friday, February 7, 2025, from 7-9 pm EST on National Wear Red Day.
The DMV Links Red Dress event underscores the importance of knowing your numbers—blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and BMI—and taking charge of your health for yourself and your loved ones. This year’s event, hosted by the Arlington (VA) Chapter in partnership with the American Heart Association, will feature an inspiring lineup of speakers, engaging panel discussions, and actionable resources designed to educate and motivate attendees to take control of their health.
The 2025 Speaker Lineup includes:
- Sherri Shepherd, Daytime Emmy Award-winning talk show host of Sherri and advocate for women’s health
- Governor Wes Moore, the 63rd Governor of Maryland
- Keith Churchwell, MD, National President of the American Heart Association
- Tanya Lombard, Vice President of Global External and Public Affairs, AT&T
- Ethel Isaacs Williams, National President of The Links, Incorporated
- Lisa Loury Lomas, PhD, Eastern Area Director of The Links, Incorporated, and mental health expert
Panelists include:
- Kym Whitley, award-winning actress and comedian, shares her journey about heart health
- Reginald Robinson, MD, National AHA Physician of the Year and leading cardiologist
- Cherae Farmer-Dixon, DDS, Dental School Dean at Meharry Medical College
- Rick Fairley, Founder of Touch, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance
- Lisa Cooper-Lucas, PhD, of LCLucas Clinical Associates, mental health expert
“This year’s theme, Live Long, Heart Strong, is a powerful reminder that women’s health should always be a priority,” said Suzanne Walker, Arlington (VA) Links Chapter, the Chair Chapter for this year’s event. “Our goal is to provide women with the tools and knowledge to live healthier, more vibrant lives.”
Other highlights of the signature event include giveaways (tickets to popular National talk shows, health and wellness items, self-care essentials, et al.) and a program book featuring advertisements from local entrepreneurs, promoting economic empowerment in the community. “Thanks to our incredible sponsors, partners, and DMV Links members in service, this event is not just an awareness campaign — it’s a movement to inspire action and save lives,” said Michelle M. Bailey, Event Chairwoman for 7 consecutive years, Arlington (VA) Links Chapter. The event is hosted by 15 DMV Links chapters, with additional support from sponsors including AT&T (Diamond Plus Sponsor), The DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment (OCTFME), The McCuiston Group, Business Management Associates (BMA), BlackDoctor.org, HBCU Honors and INOVA.
Host chapters include Arlington (VA) -Chair Chapter, Capital City (DC), Columbia (MD), Greater Rappahannock (VA), Loudoun County (VA), Mount Rose (MD), Patuxent River (MD), Potomac (VA), Prince George’s County (MD), Old Dominion (VA), Reston (VA), Southern Maryland Chain (MD), Silver Spring (MD), Washington (DC).
For more information and to register, visit dmvlinksreddress2025.eventbrite.com.
About The Links, Incorporated
The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations committed to enriching, sustaining, and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other people of African ancestry.