Representation Matters: Creating Space for Future Black Physical Therapists

In a world where belonging often feels elusive, Dr. Martha Kakooza unveils the profound impact of physical spaces on identity and community dynamics. Dr. Kakooza, a Ugandan-born researcher dives deep into her research on Black African immigrant students, utilizing narrative inquiry and innovative frameworks like Ubuntu-informed ways of knowing. We tackle the critical question: What does it truly mean to belong in an institutional setting? You'll discover how institutional cultures and spatial relationships play a pivotal role in shaping student experiences and identities. In this episode, they break down: The concept of belonging from a spatial perspective and why it matters. Dr. Kakooza's unique approach to narrative inquiry and educational journey mapping. Powerful insights into how students navigate spaces that support or undermine their identities. The significance of community recognition and institutional cultures in enhancing student belonging. Understanding these elements is crucial for anyone involved in education or community-building. Ignoring them risks perpetuating feelings of alienation among students, especially those from marginalized backgrounds. This episode not only sheds light on the challenges faced by African American and Black African immigrant students but also opens the door to transformative practices that can enhance inclusivity in educational settings. If you're an educator, CEO, manager, or anyone passionate about creating inclusive spaces, this is for you!Contact Martha: Email: [email protected] Instagram: @thereading_woman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martha-kakooza-ph-d-707183129/Website: Stay Tuned!

What happens when personal loss gets turned into public purpose? We sit down with Veronica Boutte, a computer science and visual arts student at Dillard University, and founder of the Purple Pearl Project, to talk about how she turned her grandfather's and aunt's experiences with dementia into a movement built on tech, design, and community.They get into Veronica's path back to school after dropping out and serving in the military, what it means to lead as a non-traditional student, and why she builds awareness through experiences that feel fun and social first, a Fear Factor-style activation, line dancing, a cause carnival, instead of lectures. We also unpack the future of Purple Pearl, including plans to turn it into a game or learning tool that teaches empathy and health awareness the way young people actually engage.If you care about student leadership, HBCU culture, public health, or building something meaningful with limited resources, this one is for you.Contact Veronica:Instagram: @thepurplepearl25LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vboutte/Email: [email protected]

Black physical therapists make up less than 5% (approximately 3.7%) of all physical therapists in the United States. Increasing this representation is vital to improving patient trust, reducing healthcare biases, and creating equitable pathways in sports medicine, clinical practice, and rehabilitation sciences. In this episode of Black Scholars Speak, Dr. Tiana Humphrey, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Function to the T, shares her journey from student-athlete to board-certified orthopedic physical therapist. We talk about her transition from Owasso, Oklahoma to the culture shift of Texas Southern University, discovering physical therapy through a high school shadowing experience, and learning to build a college path around her actual goals instead of an unnecessarily hard one. Tiana opens up about what it means to be one of the only Black physical therapists in her clinic, why representation in healthcare changes how patients show up for care, and how she's now training for HYROX while running a business built on making movement education accessible to everyone. This one is for the student-athletes thinking about life after sports, and anyone who's ever had to build the version of a career they didn't see modeled for them.Connect with Dr. Humphrey: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiana-hInstagram: @functionwith_t https://www.instagram.com/functionwith_t/Website: https://www.functiontothet.com/Phone: 918-809-9323Email: [email protected]

In this episode of Black Scholars Speak, host Janelle Gore sits down with Dr. Jaysón Davidson, Clinical Informaticist.Dr. Davidson takes us behind the scenes of computational research, breaking down how electronic health records are reshaping the way we understand treatment access and health disparities. But this conversation goes far beyond the lab. Jaysón opens up about the very human side of the PhD journey — the late nights, the self-doubt, the moments of "I was literally crawling to survive" — and how therapy, movement, and the right mentors helped him come out the other side stronger and sharper than ever.From unpacking the social determinants driving health inequities to making the case for a business mindset in healthcare spaces, Dr. Davidson brings both the data and the heart. He also gets real about navigating the post-PhD job market, why relationships are everything ("It's really about who you know"), and what keeps him motivated to create pathways for the scholars coming up behind him.If you're in a PhD program, dreaming of one, or just passionate about health equity and what it actually takes to translate research into policy change — this episode is for you.In this episode:* How chemistry became a launchpad for computational health research* Why EHRs are one of the most powerful tools in the fight for health equity* The realities of the academic job market no one talks about enough* What resilience actually looks like when the PhD gets hard* The reminder that behind every data set, there's a human storyConnect with Dr. Davidson:Website: https://www.jaysondavidson.com/aboutLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaysón-davidson-ph-d-931522121/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.jayson.m.davidson/

Audio Note: You may notice some brief sound dipping when Janelle is speaking in parts of the episode. We sincerely apologize for the audio inconsistency and appreciate your grace as we continue improving the production quality of the show.In this episode of Black Scholars Speak, Shani Strader, a second-year PhD student at the UAB School of Nursing, unpacks what it truly means to pursue a PhD as a Black queer woman in today’s academic climate. Through her journey of becoming a nurse-scientist, Shani shares the heart behind her decision to pursue a PhD and the notion that "giving up isn't an option" when the light at the end of the tunnel seems non-existent.We explore the realities of applying to graduate school, choosing the right program, securing research funding, and navigating predominantly white academic spaces. We explore the emotional labor of existing at the intersection of race, gender, and sexuality especially in a political climate where identity erasure and attacks on diversity, equity, and LGBTQ+ communities are increasingly visible. Shani speaks candidly about what it feels like to have parts of your identity questioned, minimized, or “watered down” in academic and research spaces and how she protects her authenticity despite those pressures.They also discuss the importance of self-advocacy, mentorship, and community support, as well as recognizing when professional mental health support is not just helpful, but necessary. This episode is a powerful reminder that earning a PhD is more than intellectual work; it’s emotional, political, and deeply personal.

In this episode of Black Scholars Speak, we sit down with Omarion Calloway who is a senior at NYU majoring in film and is a former young caregiver, for a powerful conversation about his experience being a young Black scholar while also helping provide care for his family members. Omarion shares what it meant to balance caregiving at an young age with school, navigating bullying and racism in educational spaces, and carrying emotional weight most adults are never prepared for. He speaks vulnerably about how caregiving has shaped him into the person he is today and how storytelling through film became his path toward healing and advocacy. We also discuss how he used his experiences to write and be awarded over $1.3 million in scholarship funds! We also discuss his upcoming thesis film, Hands Too Small, which centers on the untold stories of young caregivers and calls for greater systemic support (I CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS COME OUT!).Connect with Omarion: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarion-calloway-363514348/Website: https://www.morethansurvivalguide.com/Instagram: @omarion.n

In this episode of Black Scholars Speak, Dr. Amber Sophus takes us on a bold, affirming journey through academic mentorship and the realities of Black women’s sexual health. She breaks down why mentorship isn’t optional in academia—it’s a survival tool—and shares how building a “mentorship team” can provide the layered support needed to thrive in research, leadership, and advocacy spaces. Together, we explore how lived experience strengthens the way we study and serve communities, why Black women’s voices must be centered in HIV/STI prevention, and how stigma and misinformation continue to shape sexual health outcomes.We also get into the conversations too many people avoid: sexual confidence, boundaries, communication, and the role of self-pleasure in understanding your body and protecting your health. Dr. Sophus reminds us that pleasure and prevention are not opposites—they work together, and honest dialogue can be life-changing. To close, she shares details about her upcoming Pleasure Class workshop on Wednesday, January 28th 12-1:30pm EST, designed to help women increase sexual pleasure while strengthening skills around safety, turn-ons, boundaries, and empowered communication. REGISTER TODAY! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pleasure-class-tickets-1975007321063Contact Dr. Amber SophusInstagram: @dr.ambersophusLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-sophus-2751ab72/Email: [email protected]

As we enter into the first week of 2026, this episode couldn’t be more timely. If you’ve ever felt that nudge telling you it was time for a change, or that you needed to get a game plan together in moments of uncertainty, like when the Trump administration cut millions in academic funding—this episode is for you.In this episode of Black Scholars Speak, we speak with Erica Shoemate for a powerful conversation centered on The Power of the Pivot. Erica reflects on her journey from academia to public service, Big Tech, and entrepreneurship, unpacking the lessons learned from navigating complex systems while staying rooted in purpose. Together, they explore resilience, trusting your instincts, leveraging transferable skills across sectors, and the role community plays in sustaining growth.The conversation also dives deeply into how personal experiences like motherhood can spark profound professional pivots and ignite meaningful advocacy. Pivots aren’t failures or detours; they’re strategic, deeply personal shifts that can lead to alignment, impact, and renewed clarity.Contact Erica Shoemate: Instagram: @thepolicygoddessLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericals/Website: leadwithinstrategy.ai.Website: www.ericalshoemate.com

This episode hit close to home. As someone who has recently lost both my mother and my grandmother in the same year and my family and I were over here depending on dreams to guide us in what my mom would want because we were not fully prepared for the realities of end-of-life care. Life does not stop "lifeing" while navigating a PhD program, this conversation with Dr. Karen Moss felt both grounding and necessary. Dr. Moss shares how her own grandmother inspired her path into nursing and dementia research, and why culturally responsive, community-centered support is essential for Black families facing caregiving and end-of-life decisions. We talk about her peer support program, Pair 2 Care, the power of learning from former caregivers, and why these conversations need to happen before crisis moments. This episode is especially dedicated to my mom, Marta Washington Gore & Grammy, Phyllis Washington. Love you both always <3

In this episode of Black Scholars Speak, Dr. Ethlyn McQueen-Gibson joins us for a rich and heartfelt conversation about purpose, community, and the power of showing up. Drawing from her upbringing and over 40 years in nursing, Dr. McQueen-Gibson shares how her commitment to serving older adults shaped her career from clinical practice to academia—while continuing to keep one foot in the community she loves.We talk about overcoming imposter syndrome, taking risks, and betting on yourself even when the path feels intimidating. Dr. McQueen-Gibson breaks down why community engagement is essential for meaningful research, how strategic alliances can transform health outcomes, and why empowering communities through education creates lasting change. She also highlights the role of mentorship, authenticity, and professional networks in building the next generation of leaders.This episode is a masterclass in leading with purpose, serving with heart, and doing research that truly matters.Connect!LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-ethlyn-mcqueen-gibson-dnp-msn-rn-bc-24640132/Email: [email protected]