Protecting Our Moms: Black Women and Maternal Health
A Conversation with Dr. Tamika Cross and Dr. Jay-Sheree Allen
We've read the statistics and the childbirth horror stories from too many new mothers of color, tennis legend Serena Williams among them. But why exactly are Black mothers dying at such a disproportionate rate? In this conversation, we’ll hear from OB-GYN Dr. Tamika Cross and Dr. Jay-Sheree Allen, a specialist in family medicine. Our two board-certified physicians will discuss how racism plays a critical role in prenatal, labor, and postpartum health for Black women. They will highlight what people should know about the factors that contribute to the disparities and provide guidance that will help keep Black women safe during pregnancy.
EVENT DETAILS:
Date: Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Time: 6:00 to 7:00 PM CENTRAL
Resources and Pre-Reads:
SPEAKER
Dr. Jay-Sheree Allen
Board-Certified Family Medicine Physician
Jay-Sheree Allen, MD is a Board-Certified Family Medicine Physician who is committed to improving the health of millennials, both locally and globally, through the promotion and practice of Primary Care and Preventive Medicine. Recognizing the power of media to deliver relevant and timely health messages, she has worked with ABC News Health, she is an Assistant Medical Editor for Hippo Education’s Primary Care Reviews and Perspectives Podcast and she is the creator and host of the Millennial Health Podcast.
She is a National Health Service Corps Scholar currently practicing in a critical access hospital in Central Minnesota. She completed her residency training at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. While there, she was a member of the Mayo Clinic Alumni Association Board of Directors, President of the Mayo Fellows Association and recipient of one of the Mayo Clinic’s highest student honors: The Barbara Bush Award. She graduated from Meharry Medical College in Nashville Tennessee where she was the recipient of the Family Medicine Leadership Award and she received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Magna Cum Laude, from The City College of the City University of New York where she was a Colin Powell Fellow.
She supports philanthropic efforts in medicine, through volunteering locally and abroad. She currently serves on the American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation Board of Trustees, the Center Clinic Board of Directors and is a Youth Leader with the Global Jamaica Diaspora Youth Council. She is a co-founder and Past President of Women of Excellence, Strength & Tenacity (WEST) an organization dedicated to empowering young women to live up to their highest potential.
In 2019, she was named a 40 under 40 Leader in Health by the National Minority Quality Forum, she was featured in the book Against All Odds: Celebrating Black Women in Medicine and in November 2020 she will be awarded the prestigious Townsend Harris Medal by the Board of Directors of the Alumni Association of the City College of New York.
Dr. Jay-Sheree Allen is Jamaican born and New York raised. She lives with her husband Dr. Joseph Akambase in Minnesota. For more information, please visit her website www.drjaysheree.com
SPEAKER
Dr. Tamika Cross
M.D., FACOG, Board-Certified Physician
Tamika K. Cross, M.D., FACOG, is a board certified physician who completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston (UT Health) where she served as Administrative Chief Resident. Although a native of Detroit, Michigan, after moving to Houston for the completion of her medical training, she decided to make this her new home. Dr. Cross recently started her private practice in the community in which she resides to increase the community’s access to quality and compassionate medical care.
During her training, Dr. Cross received several awards; “Excellence in Obstetrics”, “Best Laparoscopic Surgeon”, and “Outstanding Resident of the Year”, to name a few. As a result of Dr. Cross’ ability to identify obstacles and implement change for discrimination faced by minorities in medicine, she was named Becker Hospital Review “Top 60 Most Powerful People in Healthcare in 2016”. She also received a UT Health Faculty Senate Resolution in addition to United States Congressional Recognition for her community service.
Dr. Cross has served on multiple multidisciplinary hospital committees aimed to address the alarming maternal morbidity rates in the country. She is a member of several professional organizations and has been invited as a guest speaker on multiple occasions to speak about diversity, obstacles and collaboration in academic medicine. She also enjoys speaking about various women’s health topics and is the founder of “The Pink Room by Dr. Cross”. She dispels common OBGYN myths, discusses uncomfortable topics that women don’t want to ask their doctor, and explains various medical conditions for women and their loved ones to gain a better understanding. Dr. Cross has been featured in the media on several occasions educating others about bias in medicine or serving as an expert on a myriad of women’s health topics.
Dr. Cross received her doctorate from Meharry Medical College. Prior to attending Meharry Medical College, she received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Michigan.
EVENT DETAILS:
Date: Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Time: 6:00 to 7:00 PM CENTRAL
Virtual: Zoom Meeting
Cost:
(Limit One)
HBSCC Patron members: Complimentary
HBSCC Regular members: Complimentary
Non-members of HBSCC: $25
PLEASE NOTE: Zoom information will be emailed to you at a later date.
Purchase your ticket through the club site and the Zoom information will be emailed to you before the event.
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