Welcome to Natural MD Radio, your place to hear the whole truth on health and medicine for women and children and get the tools you need to take back your health naturally starting now. I'm Dr. Aviva Ral We're in a time of heightened anxiety and depression for so many folks and of course for so many reasons if you're black well I don't have to tell you but I'm going to honor it and say it for white listeners too so people

understand there are worries and stressors upon worries and stressors increased

risk of police violence yes but also increased risk of getting sick and dying from COVID due to factors that come

down to racism.

And if you're a black pregnant woman, there are additional hidden risks.

One of these is the fact that there's a four and up to 12 times if you're in

New York City for example increased risk of dying as a result of the impact of

racism on black and brown pregnant and birthing women,

a risk that cuts across all economic and educational lines.

If you're a black woman with a college education or more, your risk still far exceeds that of white pregnant

and birthing and postpartum mamas. My guest today Dr. Jessica Clemens

MD is a board certified psychiatrist making it her life's work to break down the stigma around talking about

mental health especially in the black community where it's largely been taboo and to

help people reclaim their power their awareness that they're not their trauma, and to come

home to themselves again.

She uses social media as a platform to create community discussions about anxiety, trauma,

depression, and more largely via

at Ask Dr. Jess where she hosts weekly live Q&A sessions to educate her

following as well as engage with them in real life events.

Her emerging platform hashtag be well features community-based conversation series

with prominent guests intended to inspire attendees and normalize conversations about

mental health. Her efforts have gained national attention including being

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