On February 12, Bakersfield College (BC) hosted an African American Wellness Seminar. This seminar was among several taking place at BC during the month of February in acknowledgment of Black History Month.

At this event, hosted in BC’s Fireside Room on the Panorama campus, clinicians examined African American wellness and how it influences individual achievement and the broader community.

Dr. Charles Daramola, Public Health Professor at BC, introduced his presentation on racial inequalities among Black women in pregnancy. At the beginning of the presentation, he introduced three notable Black women: Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Serena Williams, and Tori Bowie, all successful women who experienced struggles during their pregnancies. He noted that Knowles-Carter and Williams were able to receive appropriate care that undoubtedly saved their lives and the lives of their infants. However, Bowie was not as fortunate; Daramola argued that this was due to medical racism.

“These are three that we know of because they are famous people. There are countless others, hundreds, maybe thousands, who have had the same thing happen to them that we never hear from… Research has consistently shown that Black mothers and babies have the worst childbirth outcomes in America. Pregnancy-related deaths among Black women are three to four times higher than among White women,” said Daramola. “I just showed you women who are accomplished. They shouldn’t be having that problem. Something else is going on here,” he continued.

Daramola continued his presentation by introducing statistics showing that educated, wealthy Black women have worse pregnancy outcomes than White women with only a high school degree.

“There is something going on here that I think we should take a look at and address. Doctors, nurses, and medical staff assert that Black women have higher pain tolerance — the ‘strong Black woman’ stereotype. So when a Black woman goes in to see a doctor and says, ‘I’m in pain,’ they wave it off and say, ‘It’s okay, you don’t need any medication.’ Or when they do give medication, it’s less than what is given to others,” said Daramola.

Dr. Malissa Buggs, assistant director of Vocational Nursing at BC, was also introduced as a guest speaker. In her presentation, she acknowledged the health disparities that Black individuals face across the spectrum, including but not limited to mistrust of the healthcare system, lack of income or education, and limited access to quality healthcare.

“I teach my students that society doesn’t trust us anymore. You cannot fake it with these patients… Health disparities in African American communities are rooted in systemic inequities; these disparities significantly affect healthcare outcomes and service delivery,” said Buggs.

The presentations at the African American Wellness Seminar highlighted the ongoing health disparities affecting the Black community. Both Daramola and Buggs emphasized the systemic inequities and medical bias that continue to impact healthcare outcomes. The event not only raised awareness during Black History Month but also placed accountability on the healthcare system as a whole.