As the holidays approach, actress and entrepreneur Tia Mowry is using her voice for something deeper than festive cheer. She is partnering with Pfizer and the American Cancer Society to host “Rewrite the Recipe,” a compelling video series designed to spark honest family conversations about cancer. This initiative is especially critical within Black communities, where the disease’s impact remains disproportionately high.
A Mission Rooted in Family History
For Tia, this campaign is intensely personal. Cancer has tragically touched nearly every branch of her maternal family tree, leading to the loss of two uncles, her grandmother, and, most recently, one of her closest aunts.
“In my mid-twenties, even up to now, I have definitely done a lot of research and have really started to dig deeper on what is going on,” Tia tells BlackDoctor of learning her family history.
That clarity became the catalyst for action, pushing her toward regular mammograms, a full-body scan each year, and a commitment to speak openly about her experience. None of it came easily, but all of it felt necessary.
“Since doing that, I can say I now know my potential risks,” she shares.
She is now on a mission to raise awareness and close the persistent gap in understanding the impact that cancer has on Black communities.
“It’s very personal for me. So when I was asked to partner with Pfizer and the American Cancer Society to help host this series, it was a no-brainer for me. I didn’t hesitate at all to be a part of it. And again, I just want to use my voice to talk more about it. And I want to encourage everyone else to do the same,” she adds.
Facing Fear and Choosing Action
The urgency of this message was cemented by her own health scare last year. Tia received an abnormal mammogram, a moment that instantly froze her in fear.
“We’re afraid to talk about the big C, and it can be overwhelming. And that was exactly what happened to me… It was almost like the blood had left my body. Like, I was so scared. I was so overwhelmed,” Tia recalls.
She went in for a biopsy alone, sitting in a sterile room, anxious for answers. “…It can be a scary place. But…I’m so proud of myself that I was able to move through and past that,” she adds.
Thankfully, the results came back clear, but the harrowing experience solidified her belief that screenings save lives.
In fact, she’s seen it firsthand: one of the women on her crew went in for a screening during filming with no prior symptoms. That screening caught her breast cancer early, giving her a fighting chance, Tia notes.
“That’s what this is all about. It starts there, having the conversation,” she explains. “Once you know your family history, doing what it is that you need to do to get the proper screenings so that we can close that gap, so that we can change the odds, so that we can lower those numbers.”
The Disconnect That Fuels Delay
A persistent disconnect often fuels delayed screenings, late diagnoses, and gaps in care. Tia shares sobering statistics that highlight the gravity of the situation:
- Breast cancer is the leading cause of death for Black women in the US.
- Prostate cancer is the leading cause of death for Black men in the US.
- Only one in five Black adults know their family history.
“…Which could be why there is this gap or there’s this delay when it comes to cancer screenings,” Tia cautions. “So, how can we change that?”
Bringing Conversations to the Table
Food is deliberately at the heart of the “Rewrite the Recipe” series. It’s not just because Tia is known for her cooking; it’s because food represents the heartbeat of many Black families, especially during the holidays.
“…I feel like within the Black community and just our culture, food is so important. But it’s also about the connection and the family gatherings. When we get the whole family together and gather around at the dinner table, conversations are had,” Tia shares.
She reflects on her own upbringing: “I remember having hard conversations at the dinner table growing up with my family. Often, at the end of the day, I would be around the dinner table with my siblings and my mom and my dad, and they would ask us, ‘How was your day? How was school?’”
Throughout the videos, Tia talks with people who have some sort of connection to cancer, whether they are survivors themselves or have been affected by a family member.
“The point is that we are all gathering around the dinner table and having these hard, difficult, but impactful conversations. And the reason why they’re impactful is one’s family history is definitely one of several factors that influence one’s potential risk of getting a cancer diagnosis,” Tia shares.
The series brings people together over classic dishes—collard greens, fried chicken, mac and cheese, cornbread with honey—the kind of meals that carry generations of memory. The goal is to use those familiar, comforting elements to spark unfamiliar, necessary conversations about family history, screening, and cancer risk.
“We are connecting through food, we’re being vulnerable at the dinner table, but we’re also being purposeful, intentional, and impactful, which is having these conversations that could definitely change the landscape for families and for ourselves,” Tia notes.
For Tia, every meal tells her family’s story, whether she’s cooking collard greens the way her grandmother and mother did, or when her son joins her in the kitchen.
Leading By Example at Home
As a mother to a 13-year-old son, Cree, and a six-year-old daughter, Cairo, Tia consciously models her own health choices. She believes kids learn by watching, not by lectures.
“You could talk to them ’til they’re blue in the face, but if you are not proactive, and if you aren’t actually living out what you would preach or practice what you preach, then it’s not going to stick,” she says. “I don’t think you’re ever too young to start instilling or providing positive information when it comes to one’s health. And what I always like to say is it starts with a choice.”
Beyond Advocacy: What’s Next for Tia
Tia isn’t slowing down outside the campaign. Her brand, 4U By Tia, which has been around for two years, continues to grow, with a major announcement coming next year.
“I’m so passionate about community itself. I’m passionate about my own community. I’m passionate about women. And so, any way that I can inspire and encourage representation, I’m all for it. So, 4U has definitely been… my third child. I’m so proud of how far we’ve come,” she shares.
She is also returning to Netflix on December 3 with a new Christmas movie, “My Secret Santa”, where she plays a character with an edge.
“I actually play a little bit of a mean girl. And…I’m not that girl. People don’t usually see me in that character. So it was definitely fun to play someone that’s so far removed from me,” Tia notes.
Filmed in snowy Canada, the movie taps into Tia’s lifelong love for holiday films, a tradition she now shares with her children.
Her Message for Anyone Trying to Change the Odds
Tia knows cancer conversations can feel overwhelming, but she also knows silence does not protect anyone.
“Understanding your family’s connection to the disease is extremely beneficial and helpful. Talk about it with your doctor. Once you are equipped and informed with information, then you are given the proper support, and then you will get the screenings that you need to do. And that’s exactly what has been done for me. I have gotten my breast mammogram—I get that every six months, actually—and then once a year I get a full body scan,” she says.
Ultimately, she wants people to know that support exists, that low or no-cost screenings are available, that knowledge can protect not just one person but generations, and that on the other side of fear is power.
“…Talking about it is one way that we can close the gap and change the odds. And at the end of the day, that’s what we want to do,” she concludes.
To learn more, visit www.cancer.org.
