Do The Change: Challenging and Reimagining OEHS
This podcast focuses on highlighting upcoming leaders in their fields and how they got to where they are today with a special focus on the field of Occupational Health and Environmental Health Sciences & Health Equity. So we are going to be talking about all the hills and valleys of their journeys and get some insight into non-traditional paths into the field. Sponsored by the Northern California Education and Research Center for Occupational and Environmental Health at the University of California Berkeley, San Francisco, and Davis.
Do The Change: Challenging and Reimagining OEHS
Do the Change: Episode 6 - LaShyra Nolen (Part 2)
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Join us for part two of our conversation with LaShyra "Lash" Nolen, a dual-degree MD/MPP student at Harvard Medical School and Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and the first documented Black woman to serve as student council president at Harvard Medical School. Continue listening to learn more about her life story, her Fulbright adventure, and the powerful mission of her grassroots organization, We Got Us.
See full transcript here: https://www.coeh.berkeley.edu/do-change-lashyra-nolen
Hey y'all welcome to part two of our conversation with our amazing speaker on the Do the Change podcast. We're going to hop right back into the conversation. Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel, Spotify page, and follow us on Instagram @dothechangepodcast. Yeah and you know what, I- that last part you said about like the doing the work while you're in these academic institutions and for these academic institutions and then kind of stepping back and being like, okay like how does this translate outside of these spaces? I think that's so, I'm just gonna say it. It's so real because I think that at least the, at least- maybe it's just the way that I kind of view it but it's like a per- like the the measure of a person is really determined by how you impact others and I think that if you're like doing the work within- using institutional resources to do work is awesome and great. But I think figuring out how to, particularly with Ivy leagues like Harvard and like Yale, of like these institutions do have a history of extracting from our communities. It's like how can we use those resources to then restore the harm that's been done and I think that's what you're pointing out of like, yes it's great to do that work but - and it's great that- like how you were saying like it's always great to be the first because there needs to be a first. But it is kind of like jarring that 2019 is the first. But it's also like yes this is great, but also like let's, let's go to the next five, six, seven, 10 steps of like what do we do now, you know?
LASHYRA NOLEN:Right exactly. But I mean let's keep it 100. Like we have, we have a- we've had a black president, a black US President. We now have a black female Vice President of the United States. But what has changed about the condition of black people?
TYRA PARRISH:Yeah.
LASHYRA NOLEN:If we look at where we were like 20 years ago and now, like some would argue that we're worse off right?
TYRA PARRISH:Right.
LASHYRA NOLEN:And that's not to say that those individuals being in those spaces is not valuable and it's not inspirational. But, what's happening with our people? Like I think that we really have to try to figure out like it's- to understand that it's not enough to be the one that makes it out right? Because like my cousins are brilliant but they didn't get to go from Compton to Rancho right? In some ways like Rancho could have been more traumatic in other aspects, but like what I'm getting at is like resource access.
TYRA PARRISH:Right.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Mentors like Dr. Tarleton. Like how many students get a Dr. Tarleton in their life, you know? Or have a mom who, like can- even though she might not be as familiar with your dreams still like uplifts you and and believes in them. So I think that that's- that's just been such an important thing for me to remember and to stay humble. Like yeah I'm at Harvard Medical School and Harvard Kennedy School etc but like that's not enough. Like I am enough like and I believe in myself but I think that it's easy to get comfortable and to feel like yeah, well you know now it's up to them to try to get here.
TYRA PARRISH:Yeah, right and you know, what I'm really glad you said that because that transitions into my next question in regards to like how can we help our community, so you are the founding executive director of We Got Us, which is a really cool grassroots organization and so can you talk to us about really that dream stage of that program, which it sounds like it's probably tied to what we just talked about, and yeah so where did you draw the inspiration from and what was like that process kind of bringing that to life?
LASHYRA NOLEN:Absolutely, so basically it was, I want to say it was 2020-
TYRA PARRISH:Yeah.
LASHYRA NOLEN:And I went home for Christmas break in the pandemic, and the vaccines were first approved, and I just remember getting so many text messages and phone calls from family members like: hey like what's good with this vaccine, Lash? Like do you think that this is safe? Do you think that it's for black people? Like these were the text and calls I was getting, and as I was responding to folks you know having phone calls and stuff I started to think about how I was in this unique position like as a black woman and also as a black woman in medicine, because I kind of have my my foot in like both of these worlds and I think that the medical institution has this like really problematic history and this problematic present when it comes to interfacing with our communities. And I was like but I wonder like how many people have access to like a cousin that's in medical school and the reality is not not many, right? Right so we think about like there's like 13.5% of- of like our society that's black and physicians- only black physicians only make up you know about 5 percent, 6 percent of the profession.
TYRA PARRISH:Right.
LASHYRA NOLEN:But yet there's so many studies that are coming out about how racial ethnic concordance leads to better health outcomes and there was data coming out at that same time that even around the vaccine, black folks in particular were more likely to want to seek information about the vaccine if it was coming from somebody that looked like them and understood their life experiences.
TYRA PARRISH:Right.
LASHYRA NOLEN:So this is kind of like the history and the context that got me starting to think about We Got Us, but then as time went on I was realizing that the way that the media and like public health officials were going about trying to get black folks vaccinated was all wrong. They were trying to show on television like oh yeah she a black nurse she getting vaccinated so then you should too, or LeBron James got the vaccine so you should too.
TYRA PARRISH:Oh my gosh, yes.
LASHYRA NOLEN:And like it was almost offensive, like it was offensive.
TYRA PARRISH:Because they're weaponizing the exact thing that we- that we like, that exact feeling of oh this person looks like me, I trust it. They were weaponizing it to then you know, like using it in the wrong way, like okay now, now we don't know who to trust, you know?
LASHYRA NOLEN:Exactly, exactly that point exactly 100%. And then on top of that there was all this focus on like oh well black people don't want to get the vaccine because of Henrietta Lacks and Tuskegee.
TYRA PARRISH:Right.
LASHYRA NOLEN:I'm like I have never heard Tuskegee or Henrietta Lacks ever talked about at my dinner table. Like that was not a conversation that like the black folks were having. Maybe some, maybe they were probably having it because they saw it on CNN because you brought it up.
TYRA PARRISH:Right right now everybody like oh yeah, yeah, yeah, hold on one second.
LASHYRA NOLEN:You're right yeah you right-
TYRA PARRISH:You right, actually you just added something.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Exactly, like but the thing that we are talking about our dinner tables is the experience we had when we got a pap smear last week, or how long it took to get an appointment, or how that receptionist might have disrespected me, or how somebody disregarded my pain when I was in labor. Like those are experiences with the medical institution happening like today and yesterday that are influencing the reason why we don't trust you to get this vaccine.
TYRA PARRISH:Right.
LASHYRA NOLEN:So that was like the context that I was like trying to help people understand when I was having conversations with like my white colleagues like they're like Lash, you know what do you think about this? And I was like we need to have an honest conversation and reckoning with medicine and public health's like roots in racism and we need to acknowledge the fact also that this vaccine is not a silver bullet. Like sure people can get vaccinated but what's going to happen when like this housing moratorium ends or what's gonna happen when you know people are disenrolled from Medicaid, like you know we were putting- like the vaccine was like a tool but it still was not going to fix the broken house you know. And I think that those were the points that I was really trying to get across with people, and I was like this is the strategy that we need to help black folks learn about the vaccine and decide if it's the right choice for them so that's where We Got Us came from. I love Issa Rae, I love Insecure, and I remembered We got Y'all and how-
TYRA PARRISH:I'm so glad you said this because I wanted to ask so bad. I'm like if I'm wrong this is not going to be good, but okay continue sorry. I'm so glad because I was like there's no way it's this similar like there's no way, sorry.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Yes, yes.
TYRA PARRISH:That's so awesome.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Yes, so, so yes. On insecure for folks who might not know there's like this problematic white woman who's like the executive director of this nonprofit called We Got Y'all. The logo is this extended white hand with maybe like five or six black children in the white hand, and it's like We Got Y'all, right? So I was like okay, I know what this nonprofit is gonna be it's going to be like young people collaborating with community organizers and people in the health field to like make sure that we have information and access to the vaccine, but what's the name going to be? And I was like ah! How about We Got Us and instead- like instead of it being like the white hand carrying us, it'll be like four hands coming together interlocking as a way of saying like yeah like we're going to get through this together essentially. So yes, that is like the origin story of We Got Us.
TYRA PARRISH:That- okay because when I tell you I was like, I was like I saw it and I said ain't no way and then I had to Google it. I'm like no, I'm not crazy like there's like it's it- all I'm gonna say is it's beautiful because I feel like too, like I don't know if you meant to but tapping into that cultural reference because Insecure is a- I feel like now I could say it's a cultural reference for our community. And I feel like just seeing We Got Us, immediately I went isn't that- Issa Rae got something called We Got- wait hold on and then it made me-
LASHYRA NOLEN:Exactly.
TYRA PARRISH:I literally was pulling up the two like hold on. And it just made it that much more like, I I don't want to- it was like funny in like a this is- this is super dope like funny, like this is great. And then also it just adds like that extra of like I already feel connected to this because I'm connected to that like show.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Yes, yes 100%.
TYRA PARRISH:That is awesome and you're genius for that, seriously.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Thank you, yeah. Unfortunately like I feel like they don't watch enough Insecure in Boston, because like not a lot of people understood it. But I already know like if this was like founded in LA everybody-
TYRA PARRISH:Oh girl, Issa Rae would be knock knock on your door immediately-
LASHYRA NOLEN:Right, right. I might have been in the Barbie movie, you know?
TYRA PARRISH:Oh, purr. Yeah. Oh my gosh, okay I'm gonna I'm gonna jump to the next question but that is- oh that just, you just answered a deep question I had that I didn't have an answer to but-
LASHYRA NOLEN:I'm so happy I could do that for you sis.
TYRA PARRISH: Yes, okay so the next question is:how do you balance being a student in a medical institution and space that has also perpetuated historical and present harm like you shared on black communities and communities of color and then also like how do you re-center yourself like in those moments? I can only imagine like maybe this is me reaching but like sitting in those classes and you're hearing about all these different techniques or calculations where you're like like I don't like that, but then also having that inner goal of like okay, but this is, I'm going to use this to create healing. Like how do you balance like those kind of emotions or experiences and then also how do you re-center yourself? Like are there things you kind of do or people you talk to and stuff like that?
LASHYRA NOLEN:Yes, this is such an important question. I think for me it goes back to like our general discussion of like purpose and why, because when I came here it was always like I'm loyal to my people. Like I'm loyal to my community I'm not here to just be a talking head for Harvard like that's not my objective and it never will be. So I think that I was very blessed in that early on in med school, like my first two, three months of med school I wrote my first academic paper ever, and this is when I was accepted to the New England Journal of Medicine. And it was about how we were learning about Lyme disease but we were only learning to recognize how Lyme disease presented on white skin, and in doing more research I learned that black folks tend to present with later stage Lyme disease which has serious implications for the heart and the brain, the neurological system because of the fact- or you know authors believe that it was partially because of the fact that we aren't learning to recognize these dermatological illnesses on patients with darker skin. And, and the response that I got from that paper was incredible. Like it actually was able to make a difference. It just helped me learn that writing was a way that I could make a difference and express myself and do so in like a tactful way, because I think that sometimes it's easy to be like yeah well these institutions ain't nothing. And they do this they do that but it's like what, what are, what are you trying to change like how do we get more exact and granular like we're talking about the system? Like who are we talking about in the system, is it the CEO? Is it the President? Is it the manager of the custodial staff? And I think the more granular we get the easier it becomes to make change because sometimes when we just chalk it up to the system, it's like who, who are we trying to get at, you know what I mean? And it just makes us a little bit more effective, or it's been- that's what's helped me become more effective as an advocate. I also wrote my first Op-ed ever and it was basically to advocate for funding for this program that helped fund me to take the MCAT or to do MCAT prep basically, and it's called HCOP, the Health Careers Opportunities Program. It's like a federally funded program that was at risk of losing funding and I wrote this Op-ed and it- I collaborated with the AAMC and was able to essentially like help that program get an increase in funding, beyond it even just being saved and kept in the budget. And I was like-
TYRA PARRISH:Yeah.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Whoa. So I just had like these early wins in my life.
TYRA PARRISH:Yeah.
LASHYRA NOLEN:And I was like man, like this writing stuff is is- is awesome like
TYRA PARRISH:Right, like okay-
LASHYRA NOLEN :I was like okay, let me just get back to typing.
TYRA PARRISH:Email the president for a couple million you might as well.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Yeah, exactly, exactly and what was wild is that like I was- I had just got on Twitter like after I got accepted to medical school and that's when like this idea of Med Twitter started to become more popular.
TYRA PARRISH:Yes, I love Med Twitter.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Yes. And a lot of my Op-eds that I've written or, or think pieces have started as tweets.
TYRA PARRISH:Oh, okay.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Me just kind of expressing myself. Like that Lyme disease article, like that came from a tweet and what's wild is that when I write a cover letter sometimes for a paper, I'll link the tweet in there so that the editors can see like that this is something that people are interested in and that it's like a popular discussion.
TYRA PARRISH:That's really smart.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Yes, yes, yes, yes. I think that like as social media becomes a more prominent way to like disseminate knowledge and research and stuff, I highly suggest like linking in whatever you're tweeting or writing and stuff on your professional pages. So yeah, back to your original question I think that that is- what has allowed me to kind of like survive in this space is number one staying true to my purpose and why I'm here, number two is learning to speak out when something is wrong and doing so in a way that is actually constructive. Like I can say yeah like Harvard you racist as hell, but it's like okay what I try to do is say you're racist as hell and this is how you're continuing to harm our patients because you're supposed to be an institution of healing and what you're doing is antithetical to healing, so therefore thus we must try to be an anti-racist institution you see what I'm saying?
TYRA PARRISH:Yeah, I'm here for it.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Yeah so I feel like, you know and this is this is my strategy like some people are like nah like let's we need to come in a different way. I'm like yes we need everybody coming in with different types of strategies, but I think that like as a student leader, as a writer, and as someone who speaks often about these topics I think that that is how I've been able to hold my institution accountable while them also maintaining their respect for me as like a colleague.
TYRA PARRISH:Right, right, right.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Because I'm trying to help us become better at what we're supposed to do as healers and the way that we're operating right now is not helping us achieve that goal. And I think that that is how I've been able to kind of maintain both of those sides but I'm always loyal to my community first, and I'm always gonna hold my my institution accountable.
TYRA PARRISH:Yeah and I love that because I think that that area that you hold yourself in is it's just, I can just relate to it 100%, because it's like you can still say what you need to say, but then also like it's like just being respectful but also like okay, but I said what I said. But it's in a way- and then also like if- also holding people to their word if you're saying we're going to be a quote unquote antiracist institution or we're going to be XYZ, but then your actions are saying otherwise then that's like an easy- of like hey we said this but we're doing this, and therefore like you said this, this, this, this, this and that's like a respectful way to be like y'all are mis- like it's misalignment on whatever is going on in there. And I think that that is the way, or I don't want to say it's the best way, but it's a it's another path for for folks who maybe aren't as radical or aren't as like get rid of all of it and it's like yes get rid of all of it, but also you can also lead with the we can get rid of all of it and then we should also replace it with XYZ because of he said in XYZ and whatever type stuff, so.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Right. TYRA PARRISH: Here for that. 100%, exactly, exactly. And I think what's also allowed me to like maintain my sanity is like I can, I can do that work within Harvard but then like We Got Us is where I'm able to like be my radical community activist self.
TYRA PARRISH:Yes.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Right, I'm like you know what, you know We Got Us is like still going, we're still doing the work and for example we have these acupuncture clinics that are actually named for Dr. Tolbert Small who's based out of Northern California. He was a personal physician to the Black Panthers, and we have these acupuncture clinics that we do during the summer. We center anti-racism, and all of the pamphlets and resources that we create for the community-
TYRA PARRISH:Yeah.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Is great because like We Got Us is my vision for creating these spaces for black folks to come together and we got us and like help us right based on our own resources and time. But then I'm also like this space has so much power like these, these elite institutions. And we cannot just allow them to continue to cause harm as they, as they continue to today so you know we can't reform these institutions necessarily, but we have to hold them accountable because that's what's causing the immediate ills like today.
TYRA PARRISH:Right, okay. So I feel like we've already touched on- I was going to switch a Tea Time with Tyra but I feel like we've touched on a lot of these, I'm just- I'm like, I'm like whoa It's been tea time this entire time. But there were I guess there's two that I would be interested to like hear your thoughts on, so we are now entering Tea Time with Tyra officially I guess. So the first question is do you see a place and or space for non-traditional or nonwestern practices of medicine and like what has been your experience with that and I guess how do you imagine maybe seeing it being integrated more into the medical space?
LASHYRA NOLEN:100% 100% I was no specialist or expert in regard to acupuncture but one of my incredible classmates, who did some work at the Freedom Clinic in Oakland, one of my good friends Bernie, was like Lash like we should bring this to Boston, and that's kind of like how the Small Steps project started with us. And I didn't realize like how much acupuncture was promoted by and used by black folks like even here in the US, like as a traditional practice and even when we're out in the community so many community members will be like oh I miss acupuncture like I used to do this all the time but now it's so expensive, because it's been commodified and it's kind of become like a sexy self care thing that wealthy white folks will do. And it kind of is seen as like oh- I think just in general it is so interesting like when black folks do something it's seen as like not- or not clean or not real medicine but then like when you package it and make it a business and you make it something that wealthy white folks do regularly then it's like oh yeah that's like that's like the next high class-
TYRA PARRISH:Right.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Medicine or extension of medicine or whatever the case is. Like I mean I've been- about this a lot, it frustrates me so much when I see like cannabis like businesses everywhere that are not black owned, and it's like yeah you know like "smart cann" and it's just like so cute and I'm like it's just so wild to me that people's lives were literally like destroyed.
TYRA PARRISH:Destroyed, yeah.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Now it's cute and fun but that's an aside. But basically, through the We Got Us project and the Small Steps project in particular in our clinics, that's been my exposure to, to traditional healing and when my patients like bring up acupuncture or Reiki, or sound therapy I have never been one to be like what? Like you need to just take your insulin, because no. Because we know that everything that is mainstream medicine is mainstream because somebody got to put the filter on earlier so that it would become mainstream and a lot of these filters have been put in place by individuals who benefit from a current system or a current aspect of mainstream medicine or because they didn't view it in their you know perception or because of their subjective opinion that it was worthy. And I think we even see that with medical journals, like now we're starting to see more things published on racism in medicine, but people have been talking about this for a very long time but people didn't see it as scientific enough to be published. So I think that's one version of like how what is mainstream and what is seen as like you know Western medicine, how that can be really a reflection of colonialism, a reflection of racism and how it manifests in medicine. So I'm all about holistic healing, and I think that the more that we can combine these approaches and I think that inserting them at the right time in a patient's timeline and care, like I think that there is a time when you do need insulin, right? Because the diabetes has gotten to that point, but I think as much as we can bring all those practices in early on and use them in conjunction to promote healing for patients, like I'm all for that.
TYRA PARRISH:Gotcha, yeah. And thank you for sharing that in regards to, I also like the framing of just calling it all traditional medicine, because it's just medicine at the end of the day and I think that's, and I think that's something I'm going to have to integrate into my brain of like there isn't non-traditional versus traditional it's just medicine. It's just-
LASHYRA NOLEN:Right.
TYRA PARRISH:Different ways to go about like having the most optimal health for yourself and not for what someone else deems as best for you, so thank you for that very gentle correction. I got it, but I I receive it.
LASHYRA NOLEN:No we're here.
TYRA PARRISH:I should have just it's just traditional, it's just medicine, just remove the traditional versus nontraditional. Okay, so last question in this one because everything has been said, what is your take I guess what is your take on this integration of anti-racism training or just this conversation now, and have you noticed any patterns of co-opting in this space as this is kind of being talked about more in the space of medicine.
LASHYRA NOLEN:So I just, I just actually posted something on Instagram about this very topic and I'm pulling the exact quote right now. This is from the Pew Research Center.
TYRA PARRISH:Okay.
LASHYRA NOLEN:And they reported that support for the Black Lives Matter movement has decreased by 16% since the murders of George Floyd, Brianna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. So what that tells us is that that peak that we saw in 2020 like after their tragic murders, there was all of this interest there was all this excitement there was the Black Lives Matters on streets, and on jerseys, and on lanyards, mission statements, and task forces and all of that.
TYRA PARRISH:Right.
LASHYRA NOLEN:But where is that energy now, and what did it truly amount to? If now the the pendulum has swung the other way, and I think that we're seeing that with all types of policies that are happening across the country like the political landscape at the local state and federal level right now is like wildly transphobic, racist.
TYRA PARRISH:Yep.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Like xenophobic. It's just horrible, and I think that in reality like conversations about anti-racism training and things like that, I think that they're just conversations at the end of the day. We can all have a conversation but where is the action at? And where is the sustained commitment? Like and what are you doing with your dollars and your funds? Like don't just give me, you know a position for DEI at your institution but use that money to invest in in local black businesses in your community or to actually create like a 10-year plan that is measurable and how you're going to improve the conditions of who's around you and before you even started this work did you admit to the fact that you were complicit? Did you outline the way specifically that you have been complicit? Have you done the internal work the investigative research, not just saying like you know we're sorry that we've done some racist stuff in the past.
TYRA PARRISH:Right.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Like a real investigative study to how you have harmed in the past and in the present the communities that you're claiming that you're going to be anti-racist toward. I feel like that is really like where the Truth and Reconciliation and like all of that comes in, and I think that a lot of these institutions are just checking the box because it's no longer sexy to be racist. Openly at least right like?
TYRA PARRISH:Yeah, right, right.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Anti-racist.
TYRA PARRISH:Yeah So, so yeah I think that we have to be careful because I think that this movement absolutely is being co-opted, and I think that we have to start holding and continue holding institutions accountable with their actions because we've seen the data we heard the data 16% decrease that tells us that um that really things have not changed, we're going backwards, and that's after a public lynching during a pandemic. Right, yeah. And I think that that it's just personally with the with the co-opting, like that is something where it's, it's just like maybe it's- maybe it's me but I also find it like a lot- very disrespectful of the fact of like you think that our community will just go for the:"oh look! Like here are all the bells and whistles that you want." Like I think they they made like instead of stop killing us they just painted Black Lives Matter on the street. I was like you just wasted more money, like like that makes no sense. And it's just like I feel like just we're beyond the oh we're gonna do this and all sorts of type of stuff it's like, okay but where's the act- like you said action and sustainable like 10 year plan of how you're going to correct your behavior and then just saying like y'all use your words to like pacify us, use the words to call yourself out like you said where it's like do an investigative like work like seriously and then out yourself and then say okay this is what we were complicit in and here's how we're going to correct that. And I think a lot of people don't do that and that's why I come to the office like performative, like y'all don't mean it you know. And then the data you just shared is like demonstrates that to the full extent so.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Exactly. And this is, is reparations. Like-
TYRA PARRISH:Literally.
LASHYRA NOLEN:We're talking about the process of like reparations and restitution and that's kind of like what I'm excited about like and why I decided to get this public policy degree, is because I'm trying to better understand like what is the role of medical and public health institutions in reparations. Like economic development for communities and like thinking about the levers that we have to actually promote reparations, and I think like that's where this conversation has to go. Like reparations cannot be a scary word anymore, but it's just simply like what is due, and I think that there can be no other alternative besides that if we're truly talking about anti-racism at these institutions.
TYRA PARRISH:Right. Okay, so sadly this conversation is coming to a close I don't want it to end but we, whatever. So thank you for being so open and honest with me and the folks who are listening, because this is just what needs to be said and I think you gave a lot of like seeds for thought and hopefully folks will go on and read those books that you shared like the Color of Law I believe it was?
LASHYRA NOLEN:Yeah.
TYRA PARRISH:Yeah. And hopefully they'll go on and read that and water you know water their seeds-
LASHYRA NOLEN:Yes, yes.
TYRA PARRISH:Along the way. that's what we're praying for.
LASHYRA NOLEN:While you on the train make sure you keep one eye open though so you can see you know-
TYRA PARRISH:Yeah, be aware, you know. Keep that third eye open. And so I want to end with just one or yeah, I guess like one question on self-care and also any closing thoughts or advice that you have for just folks who are thinking of like, hey like I really want to change my field or hey like I'm just thinking on like how can I just contribute or help my community. Okay. So the question I'm going to ask is, oh these are both good, maybe I'll just ask both. What are some daily or weekly self-care routines or habits that you've incorporated into your life? So you did share that you do read are there any other just things you do.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Yeah, I think that like before starting school like graduate school or before starting like a new job or whatever the case is like just like taking a survey of the things that you do that bring you joy and making sure that you maintain those things in your life. And I think that like that's what I've tried my best to do like for me I loved running so much, because LMU was like right by the beach it was just the best like that's kind of how I got into long distance running, but now it's just generally important for me to stay active. Like I think that like taking care of like my temple is critical and I actually just entered this this competition to become an amateur boxer, which is wild. Yes it's called Haymakers for Hope and I'm raising $10,000 to contribute to cancer research, and specifically to donate to these two organizations that support black women and low-income women with any of the costs that come up during their breast cancer treatment.
TYRA PARRISH:Yeah. LASHYRA NOLEN: So that's a quick aside, but and I'll send you the link to that so you can like share- Yes.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Yeah, y'all so like make sure you donate if you're able or share. But yeah I think that for the most part I just do like what brings me joy. Like I've been able to travel while I've been in medical school. Traveling is important to me, speaking to my family weekly, making sure I'm in touch with my mom and know what she's going through. I need to get back on this, like I used to be, but like journaling weekly as well and also something I've given grace to myself in is like even if I don't Journal like in a notebook like I normally do, voice memos even like notes on my phone just kind of like checking in and seeing how I'm feeling. So, yeah I think that those are some of the things that have kept me grounded but I would say what's, what's most critical is just remembering and knowing what brings you joy and not letting go of that even when you're very busy, because you have to carve out time for those things or else whatever you're doing can become all consuming and then you'll definitely start to feel burnt out.
TYRA PARRISH:Yeah. I'm gonna start journaling I didn't even, I used to journal too like a lot and I actually found an old journal where I wrote all my goals and it was very trippy to see like, oh I- you know it's like rewarding oh yeah wait I did say that and it's- but anyways but when you were talking about that I was thinking I was like I need to also get back on that, because there there's something to the spirit.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Yeah, it's so rewarding, yeah.
TYRA PARRISH:Literally, yeah.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Go back and like see the personal growth. It's just like oh my god, like especially on those hard days, yeah.
TYRA PARRISH:Man, yeah. I totally agree. Okay. Last question is, can you share any specific resources such as books podcasts or wellness practices that have been instrumental in regards to supporting yourself. You did share that like you are active but are there like any other books that you're like y'all need to plug yourselves in, podcasts, I'll also tune in to your podcast because I'm- I'm about to do that.
LASHYRA NOLEN:Absolutely. I think you'll like it a lot.
TYRA PARRISH:Okay, cool.
LASHYRA NOLEN:So I would say, podcast y'all gotta check out the podcast that I'm a co-host for. It's like a lot of hosts of the of the podcast, we have like a big team. But it's called the Clinical Problem Solvers Antiracism in Medicine podcast. We've had over 20 episodes and we've interviewed folks like Ed Yong, who wrote a lot about the pandemic. We've also interviewed Dorothy Roberts, who's like an incredible author, lawyer, scholar around anti-racism in medicine, just like really dope people. So check that out and we're like all about linking all of the different things to anti-racism whether it's immigration health or indigenous health. So it's a really good podcast and I'm proud to be a part of it. As far as books go, I would say the books that have been like oh my god, like this is that one ,it has changed in the best ways, I would say The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee is incredible and it's all about how like we have to stop using the zero sum game mentality and when I say us I mean American society, specifically white American Society. And it's about how like you know it led- this idea of like the this currency of whiteness has led to a depletion of resources for everybody, so it's very brilliant she gives great examples from health care to education and housing. Then I would say Caste by Isabelle Wilkerson and also Warmth of Other Suns by Isabelle Wilkerson. She's just a phenomenal historian and I think that both of those books have been critical for me, and then I would say the most recent one that I've read that has been like oh my god, I love this is Viral Justice by Ruha Benjamin, who's a sociologist at Princeton, an author and she's just super dope and she also has like Race After Technology and other great books too, but Viral Justice is one of those books that in in light of all the horribleness in the world, it just reminded me that like we are still plotting seeds of goodness, each and every one of us. And like we have to continue that chain of goodness despite all the negativity that's around us. And it could be difficult to push against that and it just kind of made me feel inspired and hopeful, so I would say, I would say kind of like that's- that's the collection that I think has really given me a lot to, to kind of have to jump off from and to feel hopeful in doing this work that is often very difficult and heavy.
TYRA PARRISH:Yeah I- it is very difficult and it is very heavy but I think that just, it sounds like the books that you offered are just books to where you can kind of ground your spirit and or learn new things that could help you kind of figure out where your passion is. So yeah I want to thank you so much for being here I want to I just want to again thank you for all the just nuggets and seeds you shared, and yeah, so I just want to tell my listeners just to- oh man I had a brain fart a real bad one. I'm gonna just start over pretend like I didn't say that. oh man my brain just gave out on me. So yeah Lash I just want to thank you again for coming to our podcast, and I want to thank all the listeners for tuning in and yeah, see y'all later. Bye. Okay.