Perspectives S37/Ep36 Tawainna Houston on cultural erasure, health equity, and Black wellness

As Americans, we often describe our nation as founded on freedom and equality. Yet we know the reality is more complicated. For more than 200 years, chattel slavery stripped millions of Africans and their descendants of their freedom, dignity, and humanity. It’s a history that shaped every corner of American life — our economy, our politics, even our public health. And yet, today, there are voices attempting to minimize or even erase that truth. Our guest today is Dr. Tawainna Houston — a naturopathic physician, educator, and founder of Black CELL Consulting. In her new book Black Wellness Barriers, she explores how slavery’s legacy still manifests in Black communities through generational trauma, systemic exclusion, and persistent health inequities. Together, we’ll discuss what happens when history is denied, and why preserving cultural truth is vital to healing and justice.