It is time for white people to wake up from “the Dream,” recognize the pain our privilege causes, and begin to make amends. Tweet There has been so much said on social media since the seven murders last week and now today. Some powerful words have been shared. Some people have remained silent because they […]
Black Mamas Matter
Black women and their babies have suffered centuries of injustice. Black women’s voices are co-opted, but not heard. Change must happen. Tweet Facts are facts, Black women living in the South face historic, ongoing challenges to their health and wellbeing. While we can argue that all women in the South could have better health outcomes, […]
Take Two
Accepting messy and the need to apologize sometimes for inadvertent mistakes are better than silence. Tweet No matter how frustrating life was the day before, or how long the night, out of the dark each morning rays of light emerge. Dawn is a cosmic reset button. I’ve always loved the idea of new beginnings – […]
Women’s Oral Health Awareness
Oral health is KEY to overall health and the well-being of pregnant women and their babies. It is also a time when women are particularly vulnerable to poor oral health outcomes. It has long been known that hormonal changes commonly are associated with gingivitis (Löe, 1965). If left untreated, gingivitis may progress to periodontitis, which […]
Mental Health – Let’s Raise Awareness & Eliminate Stigma
Throughout the country governors, mayors, and even the president are issuing proclamations recognizing May as National Mental Health Awareness Month. But raising awareness about mental health and connecting people to service needs to happen year round. For me, as the Communications Specialist at NAMI North Carolina (The National Alliance on Mental Illness), it’s one of the most […]
Intervention or Prevention?
In my eyes as a Public Health MD, there is a fundamental difference between prevention and intervention. I practice prevention if I proactively address an outcome that has been experienced by some, and I make a concerted effort to trace that condition up stream and work to find opportunities for change, especially for those most […]
Who Makes the Decision
Mother’s Day gives us the chance to reflect on our mother, the women who have been our mentors, and the mothers around us. Motherhood is a messy, crazy, amazing, life-altering, life-long journey. It is not for the faint hearted! Before my first child was born I couldn’t have imagined that within seconds of holding her […]
What is YOUR Switch Point Moment?
When was the last time you attended a conference where you were challenged with new ways of thinking, seeing your work and the world around you? The SwitchPoint conference hosted by IntraHealth recently convened unusual people from many different industries to create social change. I had the opportunity to participate and my head is still […]
Going for Gold, Fostering a New Generation of Women Leaders
While Girl Scouts cookies are without a doubt delicious and somewhat addictive (fess up – how many of you have eaten a whole sleeve of Thin Mints in a day), Girl Scouts as an organization has a long and proud history of providing girls with learning and leadership opportunities from Daisies (kindergarten) to Ambassadors (high […]
My Doctor DIDN’T Fat-Shame Me And It Was A Radical Life-Changing Experience
OR: A brief history of why I hated doctors for so long, and why I finally stopped. “Your blood pressure is a little higher than I’d like. It’s 120 over 90. If it isn’t lower by the time I next see you, I’ll have to take you off the pill.” I am 20 years old, […]