The Black health and wellness practitioners we need.

I created Welanin because I believe everyone deserves to feel seen, heard, respected, and understood when seeking health and wellness support.

My journey to creating Welanin began years before I knew the platform had a name. In my twenties, after recovering from acute bronchitis, I had a follow-up appointment with a physician I was seeing for the first time. During that visit, comments were made about my appearance and my body that left me feeling unseen and uncomfortable as a patient. That experience stayed with me and reinforced how important it is for people to have healthcare providers who approach them with respect, compassion, and understanding.

Years later, in 2020, I experienced the emotional weight of the highly publicized killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and others. I was fortunate to have a therapist — a Black woman — with whom I could openly process those emotions and experiences. That relationship reminded me of the power of feeling understood by a health and wellness professional who recognizes not only your needs, but also your lived experiences.

I began thinking about the many people who may not have had access to that same kind of connection — someone they could trust, someone who understood their perspective, or someone who shared aspects of their background and experiences.

That was the spark that became Welanin.

My years of working with medical schools, universities, healthcare organizations, and future healthcare professionals — along with my training as a community health worker, research experience, and my own personal health journey as a cancer survivor — have shaped my commitment to improving connections between people and trusted health and wellness professionals.

Welanin was created to make it easier for individuals to find professionals who provide excellent care while recognizing the importance of representation, cultural understanding, and connection. This is more than a directory. It is a community built around the belief that finding the right person to support your health and wellness journey should be easier.

Alysia Welch-Chester, Founder & Chief Connector, Welanin