Where do you call home?
I grew up in Chicago, Illinois.
What’s your specialty or area of expertise?
Obstetrics and Gynecology
What first inspired you to become a doctor?
When I went to college and came out of the liberal bubble I grew up in, I started meeting people who are anti-abortion and began to realize that choice to access abortion care is not a given. I wanted to do my part to ensure choice would always be an option, and decided to become an abortion provider.
What advice do you have for medical students and residents wanting to incorporate advocacy into their day-to-day?
Advocacy can occur in any minute interaction! Let people know your opinions and help people understand your thoughts. You never know whose opinion you could sway or who might join you in advocacy work after a simple conversation.
What current policy issue especially motivates you to be an advocate?
With the balance of the Supreme Court, the United States is in real danger of shifting the legality of abortion. The idea that this outlandish prospect may actually come to fruition drives me to continue to be an advocate for abortion rights.
How have the events of the past year shaped how you view being a physician advocate?
The Black Lives Matter movement has emphasized the fact that Black and minority people are disproportionately affected by barriers to reproductive rights. We cannot discuss reproductive rights without realizing this intersectionality, and attacks on reproductive rights are another form of marginalizing Black and Brown people.
What is bringing you joy these days?
Getting to connect with friends on Zoom! Many of my friends live far away from each other, and we never utilized Zoom to meet up before the pandemic. It is such a simple thing to do and something we probably would not have done if the pandemic had not happened.