How Do You Honor Black Health and Wellness?

By Ebony B. Carter, MD, MPH, FACOG

I honor Black health and wellness as a Black …

• Mother who strives to pour love, wisdom, strength, and perseverance into my little girls so that they will grow up to personify the health and wellness that we seek to honor.
• High-risk obstetrician who is honored to care for patients through what is often one of the most difficult journeys of their lives.
• Physician-scientist guided by a North Star that demands of me: “Will answering this research question fundamentally improve the lives of people of color and marginalized groups in our community?”
• Woman of faith who has the humility to know that I do not have all of the answers.

I, too, am a product of a racist environment and education, imbued with the potential to do harm. But I press towards the mark, and strive to care for people with the heart of a servant … to learn, grow from my mistakes, and contribute to making sure that we all have a “fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible.”