# The Problem I’m Obsessed With Solving: Sexual Health Inequity I’m obsessed with dismantling sexual health inequities that devastate BIPOC communities, particularly the intersection of HIV, hepatitis C, and structural violence creating preventable disease and death. This isn’t professional interest—it’s a calling born from witnessing preventable tragedies and understanding that sexual health is inseparable from health, dignity, and human rights. ## When It Became Personal My obsession crystallized during work in Chicago’s South Side in 2011, serving as AmeriCorps member with AIDS United. I was conducting outreach with men of color experiencing homelessness when I met Marcus—a 24-year-old Black man living on streets after aging out of foster care. During our HIV testing conversation, he broke down crying, not from fear of a positive result, but because no healthcare provider had ever discussed sexual health with him without judgment or shame. Marcus tested positive that day. What haunted me wasn’t his diagnosis—it was his relief at finally being treated with dignity around sexual health. He’d avoided testing for years because previous healthcare encounters were humiliating experiences filled with lectures about his “lifestyle choices” rather than compassionate care. Here was a young man whose sexual health needs were ignored by a system that saw him as disposable—a Black, homeless, queer man whose life apparently didn’t matter enough for basic respect. That moment revealed the truth: sexual health inequities aren’t about access to condoms or PrEP. They’re about a healthcare system weaponizing shame, stigma, and moral judgment against communities most vulnerable to disparities. They’re about medical racism’s legacy making BIPOC patients rightfully suspicious of providers. They’re about poverty, homelessness, criminalization, and trauma creating conditions where sexual health becomes luxury rather than right. ## The Scope of My Obsession Over 21 years, I’ve seen this problem from every angle. As Lead Patient Educator serving over 1,200 patients annually, I witnessed how sexual health inequities compound across generations. Mothers lacking comprehensive sexual education couldn’t protect their children. Foster care youth entered adulthood without basic knowledge about their bodies. People who inject drugs faced double stigma—for substance use and sexual health needs. Statistics are staggering but don’t capture human cost. Black women represent 60% of new HIV infections among women despite being 12% of the female population. Black and Hispanic men who have sex with men face HIV rates that would constitute public health emergencies in white communities. I’m obsessed because I’ve held hands of 19-year-olds receiving first HIV diagnoses, watched grandmothers become primary caregivers because adult children died from preventable complications, and seen brilliant young people internalize shame about sexuality because healthcare systems treated them as problems to manage rather than people to serve. ## Why This Matters Beyond Individual Health Sexual health inequities are canaries in the coal mine of broader health disparities. When communities can’t access non-judgmental sexual health care, they can’t access comprehensive healthcare. Sexual health is about bodily autonomy, consent, and the right to pleasure and intimacy without shame. When we allow these inequities to persist, we’re saying some people deserve comprehensive healthcare while others don’t. ## My Commitment to Solutions This obsession drives everything I do professionally. From developing anti-stigma frameworks for Ryan White-funded agencies to providing harm reduction technical assistance, I’m committed to creating healthcare environments where sexual health is integral to overall wellness. As I pursue my medical degree, I’m determined to specialize where I can directly address these inequities while working systemically to change how we approach sexual health in healthcare settings. Everyone deserves healthcare that treats their whole selves—including sexuality—with dignity, respect, and competence.

Medical Career Goals and Diversity in Healthcare Career Goals My medical career goals are shaped by over two decades witnessing health disparities devastate communities like mine. Working 21 years in public health—from HIV prevention in Chicago to leading patient navigation teams serving over 1,200 patients annually in Texas—I’ve seen how systemic barriers create profound health inequities. My goal is to become a physician who bridges the gap between clinical excellence and community-centered care. I aim to specialize in infectious diseases or family medicine, focusing on serving BIPOC communities and marginalized populations. My experience as Lead Patient Educator and Public Health Specialist shows that effective healthcare requires cultural competency, trauma-informed care, and understanding of social determinants shaping health outcomes. I want to practice medicine that acknowledges that a patient’s zip code, race, and economic status often matter more than genetics when it comes to health outcomes. Beyond direct patient care, I plan to continue program development and health policy work. My background in technical assistance and capacity building shows that sustainable change requires systemic intervention. I envision establishing community health programs integrating medical care with social services, housing assistance, and harm reduction—addressing root causes of health disparities rather than symptoms. I also aim to mentor the next generation of healthcare professionals, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds. As a “40 Under 40 Public Health Catalyst,” I understand the importance of representation in leadership and want to create pathways for others who share my commitment to health equity. ## Importance of Racial Diversity in Healthcare Racial diversity in healthcare isn’t just about representation—it’s about survival. Black Americans have higher mortality rates from nearly every major disease, maternal mortality rates three times higher than white women, and shorter life expectancy. These disparities aren’t genetic; they result from structural racism in our healthcare system. My work with people who inject drugs and HIV-positive individuals has shown me how provider bias can be life-threatening. I’ve witnessed Black patients dismissed, undertreated, or avoided by healthcare providers who bring unconscious biases into clinical encounters. Conversely, I’ve seen how patients respond when they encounter providers who look like them, speak their language, or understand their lived experiences. This isn’t just about comfort—it’s about trust, and trust is fundamental to effective healthcare. Diverse healthcare teams make better clinical decisions. When teams include professionals from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, they’re more likely to consider cultural factors that impact health, recognize implicit biases in treatment protocols, and develop interventions that actually work for diverse populations. My experience coordinating technical assistance for Ryan White-funded agencies taught me that diverse perspectives lead to more innovative and effective solutions. Furthermore, healthcare professionals of color often serve their communities. We’re more likely to practice in underserved areas, accept Medicaid patients, and pursue specialties addressing health disparities. This isn’t charity—it’s justice work, recognizing healthcare as a human right. The COVID-19 pandemic starkly illustrated what happens when healthcare systems fail communities of color. Higher infection rates, worse outcomes, and vaccine hesitancy rooted in historical medical trauma all underscore why we need healthcare professionals who understand these communities intimately and can build the trust necessary for effective public health responses. Increasing racial diversity in healthcare is essential for dismantling the structural racism that has made our healthcare system complicit in perpetuating health inequities. It’s about creating a profession that truly serves all people with dignity, competence, and care.