Hidden Fruit

Hidden Fruit highlights the voices and experiences of the Black community to enlighten, educate, and normalize the impact of uterine fibroids through storytelling, photos, videos, and online conversations. GladRags believes that sparking conversations about taboo topics can break down stigmas and allow us to better understand our own bodies and menstrual cycles. In partnership with The White Dress Project, we are proud and honored to bring awareness to the prevalence of uterine fibroids.


Get involved

  • Read FAQs about fibroids from The White Dress Project, a nonprofit organization that advocates for and supports people managing life with fibroids.
  • Share your uterine fibroids story with hashtags #HiddenFruit and #TheTimeisRipe.
  • Follow @gladragspads on Instagram and YouTube to see the videos of Abibat, Marsha, Adejoke, and Nichole sharing their stories!
  • Check out our Instagram Live event from Feb 25th featuring Tanika Gray Valburn, founder of The White Dress Project.


Abibat's Fibroids Story

 

 

Abibat with melon and kiwi

Abibat Durosimi is a mother of two and a multi-faceted entrepreneur, who encourages diversity in the beauty and production industry. With over 15 years as a celebrity makeup artist and natural hair stylist, she was invited to work with the ICONIC artist known as Prince.

Bloom Beauty, the next chapter in her career, began as an event production company, where creative entrepreneurs curate informative content and share their own experiences within the production and fashion industry through media, runway shows, and panels.

BLOOM has transformed into a boutique production and talent agency that brings together BIPOC and LBGQIA+ creatives to curate events, productions and workshops in the arts, apparel and beauty industry. BLOOM works to give back to the community through workshops, mentorships, and internship programs.

You can find more from Abibat at @bloombeautycollective and @abithebelovedone

Abibat is photographed holding a kiwi and a cantaloupe melon to represent her fibroids.



Nichole's Fibroids Story 

 

 

Nykke with fig

Nichole 'Nykke' Straws, born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, is of mixed background (Black and White) and the eldest with three siblings. Nykke has worked in non-profit and education for 24 years, specializing in advocacy and education around domestic & teen dating violence, culturally specific education and, in the last three years, human resources.

In her free time Nykke enjoys doing nails, being in nature, watching scary or action-packed movies, car drives, and spending time with her dog Bella and with family and friends.

Nykke is photographed holding a fig to represent her fibroids.



Marsha's Fibroids Story 

 

 

Marsha with oranges

 Marsha was born in LA and raised in Colorado. She is the oldest of 4 children on her mother’s side and the second oldest of 7 on her father’s. She graduated from Grant High School in Portland, and played collegiate basketball at Colorado State University. She has been back in the PNW for 21 years, and has worked for the USPS for 17 in management and as a labor specialist. Marsha enjoys gardening and making jewelry. Last year she started her own jewelry business where she makes all sorts of beaded jewelry. You can find her jewelry at @treclubbeadwork

Marsha is photographed holding oranges to represent her fibroids.



Adejoke's Fibroids Story 

 

 

Adejoke with grapefruit

Adejoke Babatunde is a native Oregonian and Nigerian-American who currently works for Oregon Health Authority as a Continuous Quality Improvement Coordinator in the Maternal and Child Health Section. Through this work, she enjoys learning and developing new skills as it relates to advancing the health of Oregonians. Adejoke has always been drawn to the field of public health—from individual to community health and wellness, but more specifically, holistic health. She received her graduate degree in public health from Oregon State University, and most of her professional career spans from being an Education Program Assistant and SNAP-Ed Program Coordinator in Benton and Multnomah Counties for a total of 15 years.

Adejoke is passionate about leading and co-creating programs and initiatives that promote healthy individuals, families and communities reaching African Heritage populations in the Portland Metro Area. She is also the Executive Director of the non-profit My Hair My Health PDX.

Adejoke enjoys family time, reading and listening to audio books, playing tennis, taking long walks outdoors while talking and catching up with friends, and most importantly, ways to create much needed “ME” time. She would love to get back into sketching and pottery one day, very soon. Adejoke is also a wife, and mother of two beautiful girls.

Adejoke is photographed, here with her husband, holding a grapefruit to represent her fibroids. 

 

Photos

Behind the scenes

Thanks to the Inspiring Diversity Grant from Prosper Portland, we've been able to bring this campaign to life with better., a community-based creative agency. Below are the incredible folks who helped make Hidden Fruit into a reality:

 

 

Hidden Fruit behind the scenes