Christle Nwora is a first year med-peds resident at John Hopkins Hospital. She completed her medical school training at McGovern Medical School located in Houston, Texas. Prior to medical school, Christle earned a Bachelor of Arts in the Humanities at the University of Texas at Austin. During her undergraduate career, Christle worked with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund on the University of Texas vs Fisher II Supreme Court Case and served as a NAACP LDF Youth Delegate at the National Urban League Civil Rights Summit in New York. She has served on national committees including the Association of American Medical Colleges as their student representative.

Dr. Russell Joseph Ledet is a medical student at Tulane University and co-founder of The 15 White Coats. Prior to medical school, he received his PHD in molecular oncology from NYU. He earned his bachelor of science on chemistry and biology from Southern University and A&M College with a BS in Chemistry where he graduated  (Summa Cum Laude). He then completed a masters of science with a focus on cellular biology at NYU. Prior to formal academic training, he served as a cryptologic technician First Class Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy for 9 years and is a proud US veteran. He is the recipient of multiple scholarships and graduate fellowships, including the highly coveted Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Gilliam Fellowship for Advanced Studies. He is a passionate advocate for cross generational mental health advocate, community organizer, and just an all around awesome person.

Vanessa Anyanso is currently enrolled in the counseling psychology PhD program at the University of Minnesota. She has a undergraduate degree in psychology from Columbia University. In this episode we discuss black mental health, boarding schools, representation and the brilliance of Janelle Monae.

Amanda J. Calhoun, MD, MPH is a Yale Psychiatry resident in the Albert J. Solnit Integrated Adult/Child Psychiatry program.  She received her BA in Spanish from Yale University and her MD and MPH from Saint Louis University.  Amanda J. Calhoun currently leads the Yale Resident Spanish Initiative and is co-Vice Chair of the Diversity Council of the Yale Resident Fellow Senate. She has been published in the Connecticut Psychiatric Society newsletter and AAP Council on School Health. 

In this episode, we candidly discuss race, self image, self esteem and the role it plays for black females. 

Explicit language used in this episode

Dr. Brian Williams is a Harvard trained trauma surgeon as well as a first generation college graduate with a degree in aeronautical engineering from the United States Air Force Academy. He is well-known for his role in treating victims of the July 7, 2016, Dallas police shooting as he was the trauma surgeon working the night seven injured officers were urgently transported to Parkland Memorial Hospital. His poignant comments during a press conference about race, policing and gun violence was chosen as one of Huffington Post's most powerful TV moments of 2016. In addition to his work as a trauma surgeon, Dr. Williams travels the country as a sharing his unique insight on resilience, gun violence, and racial justice. He is also an opinion writer featured in The Chicago Tribune and The Dallas Morning News, and hosts the podcast Race, Violence & Medicine.

LaShyra "Lash" Nolen is a rising second year medical student at Harvard Medical School. She is the first African American female to be elected class president at Harvard medical school. She graduated with honors with a B.S. in Health and Human Sciences (human biology and public health emphasis) from Loyola Marymount University where she also served as the 2016-2017 elected student-body president. She is a former Fulbright scholar and served in the Americorps prior to starting medical school.

In this episode, I chat with Dr. Elizabeth Bearrick, a second year urology resident at Mayo clinic. She is the first African American female to train at this institution in urology.

Inaugural podcast, hope you enjoy!