In 2012 Aliya Armstrong created Sisters Taking Action Reversing Statistics ( S.T.A.R.S.) in an effort to tackle the alarming numbers of obesity, high blood pressure, and cancer awareness in the female African-American community.
In 2010, Aliya entered her daughter in the Grand Rapids Children's Marathon, inspired by the training runs, and the actual race she started her own personal journey. She could not run the entire 1.2 miles on race day. The following year and several relatives/friends diagnosed with cancer later Aliya went on a mission taking several dedicated women of all ages with her. What started as a healthy church competition and a race with her daughter turned into a MOVEMENT!
In 2015 S.T.A.R.S. became a Non-Profit Organization with a trademarked logo. The first operating board consists of Valissa Armstead, Aliya Armstrong, Trinaa' Copeland, Tiffany Jones, and Dr. Candace Smith-King.
The mission of S.T.A.R.S. is to encourage women, especially women of color and moms to make fitness and healthy living a priority for themselves and those that they impact, with a major emphasis on running, but expanding to all sorts of physical activity.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, 80% of African-American women are overweight. S.T.A.R.S wants to work toward decreasing that statistic and reversing the number of women with chronic diseases associated with unhealthy lifestyles. S.T.A.R.S. is friendly competition, Christ-centered encouragement and resources to both new and veteran runners and those working toward living FIT.
Let's reverse the statistics, instead of 4 out of 5 African-American women being over weight, Let's push for 4 of 5 living long, happy, prosperous LIVES modeling for their children.
A S.T.A.R. is born everyday.
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the RACE, I have kept the faith". 2 Timothy 4:7
THE MISSION
The mission of S.T.A.R.S. is to encourage women, especially women of color and moms to make fitness and healthy living a priority for themselves and those that they impact, with a major emphasis on running, but expanding to all sorts of physical activity.
reduce obesity & health related illness
Higher prevalence of adults with obesity were found in the South (39.0%) and the Midwest (38.3%),
Black women are 40% more likely to die of breast cancer than white women.
By knowing their child's BMI, and helping children participate in physical activities and develop healthy eating habits, parents can play an important role in combating obesity for their family.
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