Race, Violence & Medicine

In season 2 we first met physician-activist Dr. Andrew Goldstein (Twitter: @AndrewMakeTweet) in the episode "When Healthcare and Politics Unite." Currently, he is serving at the epicenter of the COVID-19 in New York and explains the importance of physician activism in response to the pandemic.

Sgt. Kenny Kissiedu shares his story of growing up in Bronx, NY to become a 20-year veteran of the NYPD. 

BrianWilliamsMD.com.

Dr. Darrin Porcher is a 20-year veteran of the NYPD, professor of criminal justice at Pace University, and frequent contributor to Fox, CNN, and MSNBC. In this episode, he talks about the intersection of social justice and community policing, and the challenges of gaining trust with disenfranchised communities. Connect with Dr. Porcher on Twitter: @DrDarrinPorcher, and connect with me at BrianWilliamsMD.com.

Senior Corporal Terrance Hopkins (b.k.a. T. Hop the Super Cop) explains the unique challenges of being an African-American law enforcement officer in a polarized world. He shares his journey from an impoverished childhood in Oklahoma to become a 29-year veteran of the Dallas Police Department, President of the Black Police Association of Greater Dallas, and host of the weekly radio show Police Talk 101.

Daniel Vaughn, the barbecue editor for the Texas Monthly, shares the untold history of black-owned barbecue joints in Texas and talks about his latest cookbook, Whole Hog BBQ: The Gospel Carolina of Barbecue with Recipes from Skylight Inn and Sam Jones BBQ. You can catch up with Daniel on Instagram and Twitter, where he posts under the handle @BBQSnob.

Rev. Matthew Ruffner is the senior pastor at the Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas, and recognized as one of the top "20 under 40" leaders in the city. He shares his journey that led him past potential careers in politics and business to a seminary school in Atlanta, GA.  Rev. Ruffner's advice on finding purpose in one's life and what it takes to be an effective leader are universal themes to which I know many can relate. You can learn more about Matthew on Instagram @matthewruffnerphpc, and you can catch up with me at BrianWilliamsMD.com.

What is the definition of violence? I thought I knew until Dr. Laurie Punch, an associate professor of trauma and acute care surgery at Washington University in St Louis, expanded my understanding of the concept. Dr. Punch is an accomplished surgeon, TED speaker, and community leader who has been invited to speak before the U.S. Congress. Hear her explain why violence is more than physical injury to a person and what we all can do to reduce it. 

Follow Dr. Punch on Twitter @laurie_punch and I invite you to catch up with me at BrianWilliams.MD.com.

Dr. Sylk Sotto is the Vice Chair for Faculty Affairs, Development, and Diversity at Indiana University School of Medicine. She explains her discomfort with labeling people as minorities, and how we can use more inclusive language in academic medicine. Follow Dr. Sotto on Twitter @drssotto. And I invite you to visit my website at BrianWilliamsMD.com.

I am taking a break for the holidays, but I look forward to reconnecting with you in 2020. We have an exciting lineup of guests coming your way starting with a series on criminal justice featuring the Public Defender for the city of Chicago, experts in civilian oversight of police, and several law enforcement officers who will share their perspective on race and policing. A guest from the US Census Bureau will tell us the importance of counting everyone in the upcoming 2020 census, and the ramifications of an inaccurate count. And we'll take a peek behind the curtain of a major trauma center to get the stories of the people who make it happen (hint: it's more than just us trauma surgeons). So here's to you having a rejuvenating holiday and Happy New Year. Back in 2020!

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Author and speaker Pete Havel shares his personal story of resilience while giving practical tips on how to navigate toxic work environments. Learn more at PeteHavel.com. Also, I invite you to connect with me at BrianWilliamsMD.com.