The Say Study builds on tenets of Black Feminist and Womanist theory, methodology, and praxis to insert the voices of Black women into health research. Black women experience more disparities in chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes (Bourgeois, 2025). Even when Black women need acute care, like when giving birth, they are 2-3 more likely to die when compared to white women (Harris et al, 2025). These disparities impact Black women across class, nationality, and ethnicity. Many of these disparities impact women differently based on their social location and have persisted for decades. In addition to experiencing high disparities, Black women report being disrespected, doubted, and dismissed during healthcare encounters and sometimes even denied care, leading to poor health outcomes and even death (Washington & Randall, 2022).​

The Say Study seeks to offer Black women a space where they can share their stories, record their reactions, and heal through testimony about healthcare experiences. It will provide an immersive experience for both participants and the public that will foster connections to Black women's experiences through art. Stories collected during the study will be used to develop a community participatory archive.​