Featuring the diverse voices of young medical students, practicing physicians, and elder trailblazers, “Black Women in Medicine” is the first documentary to explore the history, contemporary issues, and future possibilities of African American women physicians, all of whom share intimate stories of what it means to be a Black Woman Doctor in America.
Directed by filmmaker, author and activist Crystal R. Emery, who tells the stories of women who have persevered in medical fields in part by overcoming barriers linked to race and gender, the groundbreaking film includes rarely seen documentation of Black women practicing medicine during critical operations, emergency room urgent care, and community wellness sessions, as well as in depth original interviews and compelling archival images.
Emery has now been invited to WashingtonD.C. for a Congressional screening and panel discussion surrounding her film “BlackWomen in Medicine.” The event, appropriately called “You Can’t Be What You Can’t See,” will take place on June 22, 2017 at the National Academy of Sciences building and is presented in conjunction with Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sen. Christopher Murphy, (D-CT), Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Rep. Sheila JacksonLee (D-TX), Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL), Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), and Rep.Terri Sewell (D-AL).
“You Can’t Be What You Can’t See” will bring together thought leaders from the fields of STEM, equity and inclusion, economics and policymakers. Moderating the panel will be Veronica Nelson, Executive Director of Advancing Minority Interests in Engineering (AMIE). Participants will include Dr. Eugene DeLoatch, Founding Dean/Retired, Clarence Mitchell School of Engineering, Morgan State University, Sarah EchoHawk, CEO, American Indian Science and Engineering Society, Dr. Jennifer Ellis,
The centerpiece of her groundbreaking “Changing The Face of STEM” initiative, Emery developed the film as a way to illustrate how only four percent of all U.S. doctors are Black– and only two percent of them are women. The multi-faceted initiative campaign was created to stimulate growth in gender, diversity, and inclusion within the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
“I am deeply honored to have the film and mission acknowledged by members of Congress and welcome this opportunity to discuss the need for more diversity and inclusion in medicine and other key STEM fields,” said Crystal R. Emery, Director of Black Women in Medicine. “My hope is that this will be a vital first step in empowering younger children to see that these careers are an option for them, and increase the percentage of women of color within the STEM industries.”
Emery herself has triumphed over two chronic diseases as a quadriplegic to become an outspoken voice on the intersection between race, gender and disability. She is the founder and CEO of URU The Right To Be, Inc., a nonprofit content production company that tackles social justice issues via film, theatre, publishing and other arts-based initiatives, and her work has been recognized by the Congressional Black Caucus with the Health Brain Trust Award in Journalism.
Watch a promo for the documentary below:
