Welcome to the Inclusive Minds Podcast! In this episode, Dr. Carolyn Coker Ross is joined by Tiffany Benford, a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and a co-author of "Antiblackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies: Lived Experiences in the Fight Against Institutionalized Racism."

Tiffany, an expert in trauma-informed care with 20 years of personal experience in self-healing from Complex PTSD (C-PTSD), dedicates her 15-year clinical career to understanding resilience and the lasting impact of trauma on the body and mind. Her work deeply explores how identity, intersectionality, and social factors shape our human experiences.

In this episode, you'll gain powerful insights as we discuss:

• A Mother's Journey and Trauma: Dive into Tiffany's mother's harrowing experience during the Cuban Revolution, including separation from family, time in detention camps, and the challenges of forced resettlement, revealing the roots of their intergenerational trauma.
• The Weight of Mixed Messages: Explore the implicit and explicit messages passed down through generations—from the pressure to assimilate and conform to specific beauty standards (like hair and skin color in Latinx and other communities of color) to the suppression of emotions and the impact of parental emotional dysregulation.
• Breaking the Cycle: Discover practical strategies and Tiffany's unique approach to helping clients break the cycle of intergenerational trauma. Learn about her "three grounding questions" to reconnect with the body, the power of somatic therapy in addressing trauma in the body, and the importance of challenging negative narratives through an abundance mindset.

In this episode of the Inclusive Minds Podcast, Dr. Carolyn Coker Ross is joined by two remarkable authors, Dr. Janie Victoria Ward and Dr. Becky Thompson. They've co-authored a poignant chapter in the book "Anti-Blackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies: Lived Experiences in the Fight Against Institutionalized Racism," which Dr. Ross proudly co-edited.

Janie and Becky delve into their unique, decades-long cross-racial friendship and professional collaboration. They share the profound insights gained from co-teaching a groundbreaking course at Simmons University, where their openness about racial experiences became the most impactful lesson for their students.

• The Origins of a Deep Friendship: Discover how a moment of shared vulnerability during a campus incident became the catalyst for Janie and Becky's profound connection, transforming a professional acquaintance into a deep bond.
• The "Cost" of True Allyship: Becky sheds light on the often-unseen sacrifices and challenges White allies may face when truly committing to anti-racism work, and why choosing this path ultimately leads to a richer life.
• Understanding Trust and Accountability: Learn what it genuinely means to "have each other's backs" in an interracial friendship, and how identifying and confronting difficult truths—like homophobia or racism—strengthens the bond.

Dr. Delbert Wigfall, a retired pediatric nephrologist, joins Dr. Carolyn Coker Ross to discuss the profound impact of systemic racism on healthcare access and outcomes. Drawing from his extensive career and co-authorship of "Anti-Blackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies," Dr. Wigfall shares powerful insights and real-life examples of the disparities faced by underrepresented minorities in both mental and physical healthcare, including organ transplantation.

This crucial conversation explores the historical roots of these inequities, the importance of advocacy and understanding, and the complexities of achieving true diversity and inclusion in medicine.

Key Takeaways:

• Understanding how systemic racism creates barriers to quality healthcare for marginalized communities.
• The significance of lived experiences in fostering empathy and challenging biases.
• The underrepresentation of Black men in medicine and its impact.
• The need for a nuanced understanding of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts.