Just because I carry it well
doesn’t mean it isn’t heavy.
It’s Black History Month.
And as a Black woman
in my third year of medicine,
I’ve carried the weight of both
identity
and responsibility
in spaces
that weren’t historically built for me.
Walking through hospital halls
lined with portraits of white physicians
from eras that excluded people like me
portraits that quietly whisper,
“This space wasn’t made for you.”
I carry the pressure
to explain, defend,
and advocate for Black patients
in ways I never expected
because if I don’t,
who will?
I carry the tension
of being invisible
and hyper-visible
at the same time.
Wondering,
How do I show up fully
without being misjudged,
silenced,
or tokenized?
But the reason
I can carry it well
and still smile,
still laugh,
still show up
is because
I have somewhere
to put it down.
And that place?
Is with other Black medical students.
In those spaces,
I’m not the “only.”
I’m not the “exception.”
I’m home.
When we meet,
we don’t just network
we pour into each other.
We pass down knowledge,
tips,
tricks,
support,
and connections.
We show up in curls,
locs,
fades,
joy,
styled in outfits that not only turn heads
but hold degrees.
We dance.
We laugh so loud it echoes.
And call each other Doctor
before the world does
It might look unserious
to outsiders,
but to us,
it’s sacred.
Because we know
what it’s like to be left out
so we build spaces
where no one is.
This is what
Black joy in medicine
looks like.
Where professionalism
and authenticity
don’t compete,
they coexist.
They include
culture,
community,
and Black expression.
Because we aren’t just hustling
as future Black physicians
we are also healing ourselves
and each other,
so we can heal
our communities.
And because
I’m not carrying this alone
that changes
everything.
Kids Help Phone (KHP) is honoured to share creative content submitted by youth from coast to coast to coast as they Feel Out Loud with us. We thank the Feel Out Loud Community Creator of this piece for their contribution to youth mental health and well-being in Canada. For more information on the Feel Out Loud Community Creator Space and / or how you can submit your own creative content for possible publication, you can visit the submission page.
