Black History Month: I Am Black History | Jasmine Afiya Ebott, MD

Jasmine Afiya Ebott, MD

I am Black history. It courses through my veins, into the depths of my dark brown eyes, and woven into my milk chocolate skin. I am Black history. The daughter of a Brunschwig MSK rotator, who tried three times to become a gynecologic oncologist, but was never let in. I am Black history, Jasmine Afiya Hines. Born at Howard University Hospital. One of four Black medical schools fighting to keep the number of URM physicians steady at 4-5%. I was poured into. I was prayed for. I can count backwards by four generations and tell you who my family’s slave owners were. I am Black history. Not a token to fill a quota. Not a pawn to check a box. Not here to make you feel better about your institutional diversity. Not when the Gen Z medical student is surprised that I am their fellow. Sitting there clearly waiting and expecting someone else. I am Black history. I expect almost every gyn oncology patient to be surprised, and believe me, they always are. The majority grew up with White male doctors. I can give them a pass. But it’s the Tik Tok generation that saddens me most with their surprised looks. I can’t explain it, but I promise you, it’s there.

I am Black history. The subtleties of systemic racism sometimes feel worst. Then the overt and the out loud. How do you fix it? When you can barely get them to see it. From “my sister worked on HeLa cells…how cool is that?”… my white colleague says. To an attending from residency always talking about Henrietta Lacks, but never, NO never, mentioning the atrocities associated with her story. Only speaking of HeLa cells as if they were magical. Not mentioning the Black girl magic from which they arose.

I am Black history. If you find yourself tired of talking about this. You are the problem. Don’t be remiss. Black women are dying of uterine cancer at a rate of almost 40% compared to their White counterparts at 20%. But please know that it’s not just that number. Not just that stat. No, they can’t just fix it by working harder, eating smarter, or running farther. Yes, they are scared of genetic counseling. Scared to be tested on. Scared to lose their hair. The very hair they relaxed to look European, that might have caused their cancer. But you will tell them, it’s not that. That their attempts to straighten out their roots didn’t cause their cancer. That the fabric of trauma, rape, and pillage of our ancestors means nothing and that my epigenetics is not working against me.

I am Black history. But it doesn’t feel like history at all. For me it feels constant and present and true. It feels like today and tomorrow and yesterday too. It feels like sobbing when I had no letter of support. But my history taught me that it meant I would have to fight. To obtain a fellowship spot. Not to repeat my mother’s history. That I will make you remember how recent my history is. This work is deep waters. PFS simply will not do. My ancestors survived overall. And through it all. Through the slave trade. From the deep depths of South Carolina to Southeast Detroit to the Projects of Queens Bridge to Northeast Washington DC. It is from within the community that we will change it. Not from PubMed. We have been playing that game and it is not working. I will focus on the community. I will meet them where they are at. I will not sit on high towers or committees without them. They are me. I am them. I am Black History.

Jasmine Ebott is a gynecologic oncology fellow at Brown University/The Program in Women’s Oncology at Women & Infants Hospital. After graduation she will be joining Maryland Hematology/Oncology. She plans to engage with the local community to improve awareness around early signs of gynecologic malignancies and increase access to clinical trials.