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As part of its commitment to increasing representation and inclusion of minority breast cancer survivors, For the Breast of Us, the first-ever blog and online community for women of color affected by breast cancer, has launched its new brand photography.
The organization has updated its brand photography for the first time since the launch of its website in 2019, showcasing its founders and its diverse team of Breast Cancer Baddie Ambassadors.
In stark contrast with the dominant narrative about breast cancer that centers on white women, these images, taken in Orlando, Florida, provide a diverse perspective on the disease.
#WhenYouSeeUs campaign features photos of women of color being seen, valued, and understood with photo highlights on the community’s website.
“I remember searching online just a few years ago trying to find images of black women with breast cancer,” said For the Breast of Us cofounder Marissa Thomas who was diagnosed with breast cancer at 35. “So many of the women in our community did the exact same thing because it’s not easily available.”
“Being part of this photoshoot gave us the opportunity to be the women we were once searching for. It’s an amazing feeling to create something that screams, ‘You’re not alone!’ It’s a big deal for our community.”
By empowering women of color to share their honest experiences with breast cancer, For the Breast of Us harnesses the collective power of marginalized communities to help them access quality healthcare.
Women go against cultural norms to talk about health matters in For the Breast of Us, which tackles taboo topics like sex and intimacy in addition to living with metastatic breast cancer.
“Every woman featured in this campaign knows what it feels like to be invisible as a person of color navigating the health system,” said For the Breast of Us cofounder Jasmine Souers, diagnosed with breast cancer at the age 26 after an initial misdiagnosis.
“From the breast cancer campaigns and the cancer center support groups to having our concerns dismissed by our doctors and not being given all of our treatment options. This photoshoot is our way of saying, ‘We’re here, we matter, and we’re done dying in the dark and suffering silence.’ We are living boldly and loudly. And as long as we’re alive, we’ll be fighting to make the journeys easier for the women diagnosed after us.”