00:00 You've mentioned your struggles, you know, Serena Williams,
00:04 Beyonce have also been very public with their own journeys
00:08 through the healthcare system as black women,
00:11 especially during childbirth.
00:13 Do you think the strong black woman trope
00:15 plays a factor in how we're treated?
00:17 - Absolutely.
00:20 I think that the strong black woman trope has,
00:24 it comes, there's a history that that's rooted
00:28 and it's a deeply racist history.
00:32 I mean, one of the things that I learned
00:35 through being a part of this Advil Pain and Equity Project
00:39 is that the idea that black people's skin is thicker
00:44 and that we don't experience pain
00:48 the same way white people do,
00:50 that we have a higher pain tolerance
00:53 is something that is actually,
00:55 has actually been taught in medical schools to physicians
01:00 up until modern times, like within our lifetime,
01:04 that is actually still being printed in textbooks.
01:09 So that trope doesn't come from nowhere.
01:14 That trope has been woven into literature
01:18 that has guided the way physicians
01:24 interact with their patients.
01:26 And there's a direct line between that
01:28 and the pain inequity that black women experience
01:32 at the hands of physicians in the medical system.
01:36 And I think it's important because of that,
01:39 there's so much that we need to sort of undo.
01:44 There's so much dismantling that needs to happen
01:49 for us to be seen and treated
01:53 with the compassionate care that we deserve.
01:55 And I think it's hard to,
01:58 when you are feeling vulnerable
01:59 and there's no more vulnerable feeling
02:01 than being pregnant or dealing with chronic pain,
02:06 I think there is a stigma around talking about that pain
02:13 or talking about that mistreatment.
02:15 There is this feeling that you're not gonna be believed.
02:22 So why do I tell my story anyway?
02:26 No one's gonna care.
02:27 I'm supposed to be stronger than this,
02:31 but I think we have to, by example,
02:34 we have to lead by example in changing that narrative,
02:39 first and foremost, with our own community,
02:41 by telling our stories,
02:42 being brave enough to tell our stories
02:46 and not be shamed into silence because of a broken system.
02:52 And so, yeah, I absolutely believe that that is true.
02:56 And I experienced it too,
02:57 when I was going from doctor to doctor,
03:00 trying to find a doctor that made me feel seen
03:02 and heard and understood,
03:05 I started to think like,
03:08 maybe it's me that's somehow doing something wrong here,
03:12 or maybe I'm coming across too strong.
03:14 Maybe I have too many questions.
03:17 Maybe I'm intimidating them.
03:18 Like, how can I, do I smile more?
03:21 Do I have to dumb it down?
03:22 Do I have to, am I coming across as combative?
03:26 Are my expectations too high?
03:28 These are real,
03:29 these are real sort of narratives that we,
03:34 and this is the type of self-talk that keeps you small,
03:38 that keeps you powerless,
03:40 that doesn't put you in a position to fight
03:44 for the quality healthcare that you deserve.
03:47 And so we need the support within our community to say,
03:50 speak up if you're not getting the care that you need,
03:53 continue seeking out the care that you need
03:55 if you're not getting it from your first, second,
03:57 or third doctor that you visited.
03:59 And I think, that's a really important part of this campaign
04:05 that I'm proud.
04:07 I'm honestly really proud to be a part of it.
04:09 I think in the wake of George Floyd,
04:11 there've been so many companies that have given empty
04:14 promises to our community,
04:16 that have made pledges that they have not fulfilled,
04:19 and that have truly backed away from the conversation
04:22 around race in general, right?
04:25 And there's this backlash that we are experiencing
04:28 as a community in so many different ways,
04:30 on so many different levels.
04:31 So to be a part of, to see a company like Advil
04:35 get behind this issue, which is so tenuous,
04:39 and it's so complex, and it's so controversial,
04:42 but for them to take this stand and to bring together
04:46 experts from the black community
04:48 who have been working on this issue for years,
04:51 to give credibility to their work,
04:53 to bring their work to the masses,
04:55 and then to tell our stories in context with facts and stats
05:00 that they are investing in the research to create,
05:04 or to put forward, and then on top of it,
05:08 to go as far as to address this issue at the root
05:12 by changing the curriculum that doctors are getting
05:14 in medical school.
05:16 This is the kind of sort of 360 problem solving,
05:21 solution oriented work that we need to see,
05:24 and we need to see it from companies that are making money,
05:27 making a profit off of our community.
05:29 So I'm really proud that Advil has taken this on,
05:32 and I'm proud to join them in this effort.
05:34 (upbeat music)
05:37 (kiss)
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