The White Dress Project sets 2026 Empowerment Experience in Atlanta

By AI, Created 2:01 PM UTC, June 02, 2026, /AGP/ – The White Dress Project will host its 2026 Empowerment Experience July 24-26 in Atlanta during Fibroid Awareness Month, honoring Lupita Nyong’o and other advocates, clinicians and changemakers. The event is designed to support education, healing and fundraising around uterine fibroids, which affect millions of women and disproportionately impact Black women.

Why it matters: - The White Dress Project uses the annual event to raise awareness, fund research and provide financial assistance for women living with uterine fibroids. - Fibroids affect millions of women worldwide and disproportionately impact Black women. - The organization says the event helps close gaps in dialogue, education and support around a condition that often goes under-discussed.

What happened: - The White Dress Project announced the 2026 Empowerment Experience for July 24-26 in Atlanta during Fibroid Awareness Month. - The nonprofit will honor Academy Award-winning actress, author and advocate Lupita Nyong’o as the 2026 Voice for Change Honoree at its annual Blossom Awards. - The event will also recognize Georgia State Representative Park Cannon, Dr. Veronica Gillispie-Bell, Necole Kane, Dr. Mikhail Higgins and Zinhle Essamuah. - Registration is open at thewhitedressproject.org/empowermentexperience.

The details: - The 2026 theme is “The Softness We Deserve: The Healing Power of Our Stories.” - The three-day gathering will bring together women, healthcare professionals, advocates and supporters. - Programming will include educational sessions, wellness experiences, patient advocacy discussions, networking and community-centered activities. - Hologic, Inc. is supporting the 2026 Empowerment Experience. - Hologic describes itself as a global leader in women’s health focused on technologies that detect, diagnose and treat health conditions. - Lupita Nyong’o said she is inspired by The White Dress Project’s work to raise awareness of uterine fibroids and support women living with the condition. - Nyong’o said sharing stories and supporting one another can help ensure no woman has to navigate the journey alone. - Tanika Gray Valbrun, founder of The White Dress Project, said the nonprofit has spent more than a decade addressing the lack of dialogue and education surrounding uterine fibroids. - Valbrun said the Empowerment Experience is one of the nonprofit’s signature fundraising events. - Valbrun said the event supports education, advocacy, research and financial assistance for women living with fibroids. - Valbrun said this year’s honorees reflect collective advocacy and help advance women’s health, elevate patient voices and create change in communities.

Between the lines: - The honorees signal a broad strategy that extends beyond patient storytelling into politics, clinical care, media and wellness. - The Atlanta setting and Fibroid Awareness Month timing give the event a built-in platform for visibility and community engagement. - The focus on Black women’s health reflects a wider public-health push to address disparities in diagnosis, treatment and awareness.

What’s next: - The White Dress Project will host the event in late July in Atlanta. - Attendees can expect educational and community programming centered on fibroid awareness, patient support and advocacy. - The organization will continue using the Empowerment Experience as a fundraising and awareness-building anchor for its year-round work. - More information is available at the organization’s website.