The Heart and Style Conference and Fair is a high-energy health and lifestyle event. The event features educational workshops, inspirational speakers, health and lifestyle exhibitors, healthy food tasting, Red Dress Fashion Show and other activities designed to empower African American women with the knowledge, tools and resources to adopt and maintain a heart healthy lifestyle.

2005 Event Highlights
Conference Theme: Sisters Living Long and Living Well

How can black women prevent heart disease? By living life with heart and style—that was the message of Heart and Style 2005, a one-day health and lifestyle conference and fair held on February 26 in Washington, DC. Held in observance of American Heart Month, the inaugural event has been praised for its “intimate”, “sophisticated” and “creative” approach to educating black women about the importance of heart health.

Upon arrival at Heart and Style, attendees received sleek red shoppers bags filled with heart health and personal care information, promotional materials and product samples. A dynamic lineup of speakers and health experts led a series of interactive workshops in the morning on heart healthy living, diet and nutrition, weight loss, exercise, stress management, self-care and spiritual wellness.

In keeping with the theme of the day, Heart and Style attendees received a healthy dose of education, fashion and style. The health fair held in the afternoon featured a healthy food tasting by Jasper’s Restaurant and Whole Food Markets, health screenings by the Black Nurses Association, makeovers by Sephora, seated massages, book signings, health and lifestyle exhibitors, giveaways and a Red Dress Fashion Show hosted by Angela Russell of WJLA/ABC 7 News. Russell’s lively commentary offered tips on heart healthy living interspersed with style and fashion pointers. 

The speaker roster included:

• Blanche Williams, host of Greatness by Design on XM Satellite Radio
• “Dr. Ro” Rovenia Brock, Ph.D, nutritionist and author of Dr Ro’s Ten Secrets to Livin’ Healthy
• Dr. Andrea Pennington, president of the Pennington Institute for Health and Wellness and author of The Pennington Plan
• Wanda Tia, fitness expert and producer of the WandaWoman Workout Series
• Dr. D. Kim Singleton, psychologist and author of Broken Silence: Opening Your Heart and Mind to Therapy
• Terri Carson, fitness expert and wellness coach, Warm Spirit, Inc.
• Dr. Wanda Minnis-Dyson, founder of Change for Life Weight Loss.

 Local participating fashion designers:

• Barami
• Junction on U
• Corjor International/DC Fashion Week
• Glam 606
• Dr. Ro Gear
• EVOCATIVE! Designs

Sponsors and Partners:

• Office on Women’s Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Black Nurses Association, Greater Washington, DC Chapter
• Jasper’s Restaurant
• Radio One
• Sephora
• Warm Spirit
• Whole Foods