A’Kia Walker, Executive Director
“Although I was born in the Midwest, I moved to the Valley at 5 years old. I've lived in Modesto most of my life, and consider myself a Stanislaus County native!
I completed my undergraduate studies at Stan State (Go Warriors!) where I received my B.Sc in Biology, with a concentration in Molecular/Microbial Biology (with a pre-health focus), and also completed coursework towards a Business Administration minor.
I have always been fascinated with learning about complex systems: the human body as a system, the foundations of business operations as a system. While these areas of study are vastly different, I enjoy the challenge of learning different systems so that I can stay curious about ways to solve complex problems relating to the system. Following my undergraduate studies, I've been able to engage in community work, and truly expand my knowledge about how health systems expand far past the walls of a clinical setting. I am eager to continue learning how our constantly changing social environments impact our physical body's health and well-being, but also the health and well-being of our community's "body" as a whole.
I am honored to be able to work alongside an incredible team of young women who care deeply about meaningful collaboration, community wellness and relationship building. The Empower 8 team is just as eager to make wellness education/resources possible and accessible in third spaces throughout the community, which really excites me! I also love that at Empower 8 we nurture a culture of continuous learning, exploration, and curiosity; community health and wellness presents a vast field of work, so it's important to stay adaptable to the needs of the young people and community partners we engage with on a regular basis.
I truly believe all eight dimensions of wellness are interconnected! When I think about the factors that can hinder someone from prioritizing their health and wellness, it’s rarely just one thing. It might be the stress of affording skyrocketing healthcare costs, or not having access to quality healthcare and wellness resources in their neighborhood. These barriers often ripple into other areas of life, creating an impact on emotional and spiritual well-being, especially when someone may also be struggling to make ends meet or facing challenges finding meaningful, fairly paid work.
Although my innate default leans into the physical wellness dimension, because movement has always served as "medicine" in my life, lately I have been spending more time digesting the interconnectedness of our well-being. That is why the social and financial wellness dimensions have been standing out to me more. These particular wellness dimensions remind me how deeply our environments, communities, and economic realities shape our ability to live well. True wellness means creating systems and spaces where people can thrive physically, mentally, and economically.”
