I’m sharing clips from my interview with Kelly Clarkson that I think were impactful! Here’s Kelly introducing me, and a story about cyanosis, a condition where the skin turns blue, and how that led me to start posting on TikTok to amplify disparities that I was seeing in medical school. #joelbervell #medicalmythbuster #kellyclarkson #kellyclarksonshow

Representation Matters in Medicine. @visualdx created a catalogue of conditions for skin of color and it makes it easier for medical professionals to determine conditions on darker skin. #dermatology #acanthosisnigricans #skin #skincare #derm

I was on television for one of my TikToks that went viral about a device called a pulse oximeter in Medicine that doesn’t work as well in darker skin! #pulseoximeter #medicine #doctor #nurse #healthcare #joelbervell

A few days ago, I posted a video about how RFK was perpetuating false beliefs about biological differences between races. Almost immediately, people started bringing up sickle cell — so let’s clear this up. Is sickle cell a “Black disease?” I get this question all the time in my comments, and despite what popular media (like the SNL skit from last year that I mention in this video) may suggest, the answer is no. Sickle cell isn’t race-based. It’s linked to ancestry and geography, specifically regions where malaria is or was common. But racializing diseases like this has real consequences, from delayed diagnoses to inadequate treatment. Let’s talk about sickle cell, malaria, and why these misconceptions continue to exist.

A few weeks ago, I posted a video from RFK’s confirmation hearing for Secretary of Health and Human Services, where he falsely claimed that Black people have stronger immune systems and should receive different vaccination schedules. Comments flooded in agreeing with this misinformation—but here’s the truth: race is a social construct, not a biological fact. This kind of pseudoscience has long fueled racial disparities in healthcare, from false beliefs about pain tolerance to race-based adjustments in lung and kidney function. These myths don’t just distort science—they harm real people. Let’s myth bust.

Measles was nearly eliminated, yet misinformation is fueling its return. With RFK Jr as Health Secretary, vaccine policies are shifting. Now more than ever, we need to support evidence-based public health. Call your representatives and advocate for science. #VaccinesWork #publichealth

A New York doctor is facing criminal charges for providing abtn pills to a Louisiana resident—marking the first case of its kind. This sets a dangerous precedent, allowing politicians to reach beyond their own states to control medical decisions. If this stands, it won’t stop at abtn. It’s about whether science, patient autonomy, and the doctor-patient relationship survive.

This chemist is the reason we have treatmetns for glaucoma and rheumatoid arthritis, but have you heard his name? Welcome back to episode 19 of Woke Black History. Let’s talk about Percy Julian! Everyday this month I’m posting a new video about a Black change maker from history. Make sure to tune in, share, and follow along! At a time where these stories are being suppressed, it’s more important than ever to share.

Black history and reproductive rights are being erased in real-time. Government agencies are cutting recognition of Black History Month. Federal health sites with crucial reproductive info are going dark. Thankfully organizations like SisterSong and URGE are stepping up to protect our rights. Because Black liberation is reproductive freedom—access to healthcare, bodily autonomy, and the right to make informed choices. #ReproductiveJustice #BlackHistoryMatters #HealthEquity

Did you know that an enslaved man helped eradicate smallpox and paved the way for the modern day vaccine? Welcome back to episode 18 of Woke Black History. Let’s talk about Onesimus! Everyday this month I’m posting a new video about a Black change maker from history. Make sure to tune in, share, and follow along! At a time where these stories are being suppressed, it’s more important than ever to share.

For episode 17 of Woke Black History, let’s explore the immortal life of Henrietta Lacks! Everyday this month I’m posting a new video about a Black change maker from history. Make sure to tune in, share, and follow along! At a time where these stories are being suppressed, it’s more important than ever to share.

This Congressman has faced down tear gas on Bloody Sunday, been arrested more than 40 times through out his life, and embodied the meaning of “Good Trouble.” Welcome back to episode 16 of Woke Black History. Let’s talk about the life of one of my personal heroes, Congressman John Lewis, a beacon of resilience and relentless activism. Everyday this month I’m posting a new video about a Black change maker from history. Make sure to tune in, share, and follow along! At a time where these stories are being suppressed, it’s more important than ever to share.

Meet the first African American woman elected to the United States Congress and the first African American candidate to run for the Democratic Party’s nomination. Her slogan Unbought and Unbossed is a testament to her tenacity and heralded a new heralded a new generation of leaders. For episode 15 of Woke Black History let’s talk about the one and only Shirley Chisholm! Everyday this month I’m posting a new video about a Black change maker from history. Make sure to tune in, share, and follow along! At a time where these stories are being suppressed, it’s more important than ever to share.

Did you know the first Black Oscar winner wasn’t allowed to sit with her co-stars becuase of her race? Welcome to Episode 14 of Woke Black History. Let’s talk about Hattie McDaniel. Everyday this month I’m posting a new video about a Black change maker from history. Make sure to tune in, share, and follow along! At a time where these stories are being suppressed, it’s more important than ever to share.

Over the Weekend, the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights declared that all race-conscious student programming, resources, and financial aid was illegal, and threatened to investigate and rescind federal funding for any institution that does not comply within 14 days. In the letter, they mentioned a wide range of university programs including financial aid, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, housing, graduation ceremonies, and other aspects of student, academic and campus life. Unfortunately I’m not surprised. Last year, in October 2024, my TED Talk about the need for diversity, equity in medicine was released. I warned about how anti-DEI bills would lead to disinvestment in research, stripping away scholarship programs, and more for marginalized communities. Unfortunately those fears have continued to become actualized in real time this past month, This is not just a policy shift—it’s an attack on progress. It’s a direct attempt to dismantle the scaffolding that has allowed historically marginalized students to access opportunities that were never freely given. It’s the systemic erasure of equity under the guise of “neutrality.” For decades, race-conscious programs have served as a corrective measure—not a handout, but a means of leveling the playing field in an education system that was never built with us in mind. Without them, we risk turning back the clock on years of hard-fought advancements, leaving generations of students without the support they need to succeed. History has shown us what happens when diversity is treated as disposable—when research, resources, and representation are stripped away. The consequences will not be abstract. They will be felt in classrooms, in hospitals, in boardrooms, and in every institution that shapes our society. This is the moment to act. The moment to challenge. The moment to refuse silence. Because if we do nothing, we are complicit in allowing the future of education—and the future of medicine—to be rewritten by those who never wanted us here in the first place.

This Black woman’s groundbreaking work in optics and 3D imagining transformed the way we see the world. Learn her story! Welcome back to Episode 13 of Woke Black History. Let’s talk about Valerie Thomas. Everyday this month I’m posting a new video about a Black change maker from history. Make sure to tune in, share, and follow along! At a time where these stories are being suppressed, it’s more important than ever to share.

Do you know the story of the two Black women who broken the pageant lines? Welcome to episode 11 of Woke Black History. Everyday this month I’m posting a new video about a Black change maker from history. Make sure to tune in, share, and follow along! At a time where these stories are being suppressed, it’s more important than ever to share.