I Want to Hear from You
Community Health Questionnaire
Hey SistahGurls,
I attended a nationwide webinar featuring physicians and healthcare workers a few weeks ago. One of the many takeaways from the webinar was community outreach, which involves building relationships between medical professionals and patients. I have been to a few, and I didn’t enjoy that it was a marketing scheme, or at least that’s what it felt like. Here I am as a patient trying to find answers, and you hand me a pen and a pamphlet with your logo in hopes that I will use it.
If we’re here to combat medical racial bias, that’s not the way to do it. Not only do we need to see PR, but we also need to see physicians with their white coats spreading knowledge and educating the public. If they were physicians in attendance, I couldn’t tell them apart. We can spot a cop and a firefighter miles away. We know if we need assistance, it wouldn’t take us long to find it. Why is that the case when it comes to our physicians?
We see them on webinars and read their newsletters about new techniques and medical breakthroughs. We see them in paid seminars with crisp dresses and kaki pants, but nowhere beyond that.
I posed that question on Threads a few days ago, and here were the two main responses.
What to expect from your first mammogram. I just had mine and had to have a follow-up. We may hear from our mothers or family members, but hearing from a medical professional would help, too.
and
Free, low-cost, culturally competent mental health support services and/or referral. I think the best way to get a list of our patients’ needs is to ask the patient.
SistahCare Alliance is action-based advocacy. I’m about using what we have to get what we want. Most advocacy groups wait for laws to pass and money to be given, but I’m from the “what have you done for us lately?” club. We can’t wait for a law or government funding to pass.
I want to hear from you, the patient, over the next few months. I will meet with physicians and don’t want to guess what you all need. I need you all (yes, you all) to tell me your needs. I created a survey, and I would greatly appreciate it if you all filled it out for me to help collect this data.
Click here to take the survey. I can’t wait to hear from you.
SistahGurl Chat 💬
If you had the mic at a health event, what topic would you demand we talk about?
🔒SistahCare Wellness Room
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As SistahCare Alliance grows, I want to be transparent—I'm currently the sole person running this newsletter, along with two others. I curate resources, find expert-backed information, and create a space dedicated to advocating for Black women's healthcare experiences.
This work is vital to me, but also time-consuming and labor-intensive. That's why I've introduced paid subscriber options—not as a barrier but as a way to sustain and expand this work. Compensation allows me to continue providing well-researched tools, exclusive resources, and community support that Black women deserve. If you find value in what SistahCare Alliance offers, I'd love for you to support this mission in whatever way feels right. If you can’t afford a paid subscription, you can tip me through Buy Me a Coffee.
Sincerely,
Teisha LeShea, The Founder