Creating Health Justice Through Social Entrepreneurship

"I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change,  I am changing the things I cannot accept." -Angela Davis   More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net With a long history of health inequities in the U.S. is it possible to bring real change and health justice to our communities?  Can social entrepreneurship be part of this solution?   In this episode we have an inspiring conversation with Dr. Omolara Thomas Uwemedimo where we dive into the way she is guiding indigenous women and women of color to lead and create health justice, health impact, health equity, and build a health justice movement.  And how she is using the social enterprise model to do this.   In our conversation you will: Learn about Dr. Omolara’s origins in New York with Nigerian immigrant parents leading to her early career as a pediatrician Hear about the health crisis that led to Omolara to learn about ‘weathering,’ how it impacts black women and how it led her to begin her business Melanin and Medicine. Learn about the factors such that seem to be a ‘perfect storm of medical underserved’ such as social, political, economic exclusion caused by racism that puts stress on individuals above and beyond other groups.  Hear how Dr. Omolara started her new business moved to support women to move from work life integration to social entrepreneurship Learn about Omolara’s framework about ways that social entrepreneurs can get funding outside of their own wallet and outside of traditional investors for equity models. Listen as Dr. Omolara discusses how she leads from the inside out and the mindset that requires  Learn how Dr. Omolara started a sustainable business that scaled rapidly in the first 18 months Get Dr. Omolara’s advice on the importance of being grounded in your values and knowing your expertise     More about Dr. Omolara: Dr. Omolara Thomas Uwemedimo is a business development and funding coach for women of color in healthcare and is a serial entrepreneur, growing 2 companies to multi-six figures in revenue in less than 18 months. During her intrapreneurial career as a pediatrician for over 15 years, researcher & professor for over a decade, she secured $2 million in grant funding and has led inter-professional teams to build and scale healthcare delivery and research programs to achieve health equity for marginalized youth and families. Her work has been defined by a passion for social justice, serving as an advocate and working as a global physician across sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Melanin & Medicine Podcast