"Swimming and Drowning": A Soul-Stirring Conversation with Mia Malcolm

What does it mean to really care out loud? In this specialextended episode, I sit down with the incomparable Mia Malcolm—NICU parent, fierce advocate, and truth-teller. Mia shares her family's 268-day NICU journey, the generational trauma that shaped her perspective, and what healthcareproviders must understand if we ever hope to show up with true compassion, equity, and humility.We talk about systemic racism in medicine, trauma-informed care (and its absence), why being uncomfortable is part of the work, and the one moment of humanity that changed everything. This is more than a podcast—it’s a call toremember who we are, why we’re here, and who’s still drowning in a system that says “care” but often doesn’t show it.⚠️ Warning: This episode contains powerful emotional content and references to medical trauma, racism, and loss.Important Links:Mia's LinkedIn ProfileWatson L. & Malcolm M. (2021). Racism as a Preventable Harm. Nursing Administration Quarterly. 45(4), 302-310. doi: 10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000495. Racism and Quality of Neonatal Intensive Care: Voices of Black MothersWitt, R.E., Malcolm, M., Colvin, B.N., Gill, M.R., et al. (2022). Racism and Quality of Neonatal Intensive Care: Voices of Black Mothers. Pediatrics. 150 (3), e2022056971. 10.1542/peds.2022-056971.