Viviana Martinez-Bianchi, MD, FAAFP, a dedicated advocate for health equity, co-founded LATIN-19 at Duke Health, empowering the Latinx community during COVID-19. Globally, she advocates for healthcare as a human right with WONCA, fostering inclusive, equitable systems. Her leadership drives impactful change, ensuring all individuals have access to quality and affordable healthcare. In this clip, Dr. Martinez-Bianchi's underscores the critical need for empathy, inclusivity, and introspection within healthcare systems, especially during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Her call for listening to the community and examining exclusionary practices reflects a deeper understanding of the systemic issues perpetuating health disparities. It prompts healthcare organizations like Duke Health to reevaluate their approaches, policies, and interactions with marginalized communities.
Rebecca Reyes, MSW, MDiv, served as a social worker at Duke Health for over 17 years (1998-2015), where she championed culturally competent healthcare for the Latino/a community. She founded Latino Health Services, advocated for LEP (Limited English Proficiency) patients, and ensured inclusive communication for better health outcomes. Rebecca also worked tirelessly alongside various non-profit organizations to listen directly to the community's needs, ensuring her advocacy efforts reflected their most pressing concerns. In this clip, Reyes emphasizes her role as the first Hispanic woman ordained in the Presbyterian Church, underscoring the importance of her religious identity in guiding her commitment to serving the community. This insight highlights the transformative power of spirituality in driving social change and fostering inclusive, compassionate communities.
Patricia Bartlett, LCSW, was a clinical social worker at the Duke HIV/AIDS clinic from 1988 until 2006. This oral history explores her community activism at both Duke and Durham County General Hospital, and in particular the extensive resistance she met from community organizations. In this clip, she shares stories about her advocacy with home health agencies, youth organizations, and the injection drug user community in Durham.
Joyce N. Jiggetts, RN, BSN, CMHRP, is a passionate healthcare advocate dedicated to addressing disparities affecting Black and socioeconomically disadvantaged women. With a nursing background from Hampton University, she has been a vocal supporter of maternal health since joining the Durham County Health Department in 1995. In her role within Duke Health's Baby-Love/CMHRP program, she actively supports high-risk pregnant women, emphasizing patient-centered care. Her commitment extends beyond institutional boundaries, as she continues to contribute to the Black Maternity Health Equity Initiative, aiming to address the unique challenges faced by pregnant mothers in the Black community.
Kathryn Andolsek, MD, MPH, has held a variety of leadership roles in the Duke health system, including the director of the Family Medicine Residency and chief of the Department of Community and Family Medicine. She has spent her career establishing a variety of community health initiatives to benefit underserved populations. Here, Dr. Andolsek describes how she benefited from the generalization possible through family medicine to provide low-income children with dental care with the help of multiple community partners.