My Antiguan Roots: Where My Health Equity Journey Began

My journey into understanding the depth of health equity didn't begin in a university lecture hall or from within the pages of any scholarly book. Instead, it started at my grandparents’ house, nestled in a small village in Antigua where my granny, a teacher and principal, lived.

As a child, my sister and I would eagerly anticipate those annual visits, which were a far cry from the idyllic Caribbean getaways most people imagine. Instead of lounging on pristine beaches with a pi?a colada in hand, I found myself embarking on a different kind of adventure— without the luxury of air conditioning and in the constant company of mosquitoes. This journey was one that required not a passport but an open heart and a willing spirit. I learned invaluable lessons about the realities of life, community, compassion, and the essence of health equity.

The Power of Relationships

My grandmother had 13 grandchildren, but only my sister and I lived in the United States. However, the rest of the grandchildren lived outside my grandparent's village in the suburbs of Antigua. Whenever we visited, she wanted us to experience a true sense of community and, more importantly, to build relationships within it. All grandchildren were summoned to Parham, ensuring we were connected to our roots. This desire to foster my cultural humility started there. After we completed our study time, we walked through the village. We were visiting family, going to the corner store, catching up with church friends, and playing on the basketball court with the other children and adults.?As we interacted with everyone, we would learn their stories. As we returned to my grandparent's house, my Granny would inquire about our adventures. She understood the power of relationships and that to truly understand others, you must first get to know them – see where they live and understand the context of their lives, the struggles and joys that shape them. In LEAN methodology, this is known as “Going to the Gemba" (Translation: Going to the Real Place where things are happening). It allows you to build genuine rapport and forge connections—that was the heart of it all.

Education Beyond Books

My granny believed deeply in education, but not the kind confined to textbooks. Her "classroom" was the community – valuing engagement, recognizing every individual's worth, and understanding their unique stories. "Education is one's passport to life," she'd say, emphasizing a lifelong pursuit of knowledge. We became her scholars, collecting stories from neighbors – not as labels (patient, client, etc.), but as whole people. She'd carefully document our stories in her little black notebook, then head to the country nurse's office, the grocery, or the person directly. She was the community’s mother, and she made sure that your community was physically, mentally, and socially well. This was accountability rooted in connection, reminding us that actual knowledge helps us better serve our community.

"Education is one's passport to life"-Granny

Empathy and Humility

My granny taught us that empathy isn't passive but a skill to hone.? Every person has a story to be heard and struggles to be understood.? We were never tourists in her village, but part of its fabric. She made sure that we were part of the community. This instilled humility – a respect for the wisdom found beyond libraries: in stories shared under mango and tamarind trees, in advice given over lemongrass tea, even in the quiet support during hardship. She saw knowledge as limitless, born from both formal study and lessons learned through the simple acts of living in a community with an open heart.

My Bottom Line: Engage, Understand, and Build Trust

Years have passed, but the core message of those childhood visits has never left me: the true essence of health equity and meaningful community engagement lies in the simple acts of kindness, understanding, and respect we show each other. My granny’s legacy is a constant reminder that empathy, community, and humility have the power to change the world.

Although she has passed, her influence fuels my work today. It keeps me grounded when facing the complex challenges of health equity and social justice. Those visits sparked my drive for genuine engagement, learning before assuming and building trust as the foundation of progress.

My journey is a call to action to connect, understand, and respect the world around us. It's a belief that sometimes, replacing grand plans with everyday choices is how we pave the road to equity. In a world focused on division, my story is a simple yet powerful reminder of what unites us: love, empathy, and the strength of community. It's a testament that sometimes the most transformative lessons don't come from textbooks but from the heartfelt wisdom generously shared on my grandparents' porch.

"Each endeavouring, all achieving.” Antigua and Barbuda National Motto

Acknowledgments: It takes a village to do equity work, and I am thankful to all the groups that have helped shape me over the years. NCQA Georgetown University School of Medicine Michigan Health & Hospital Association Michigan State University Program in Public Health Michigan State University College of Natural Science American Public Health Association American Heart Association Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Food & Friends MedStar Institute for Quality and Safety Master's Clinical Quality, Safety & Leadership Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and so many more individuals to list.