As the U.S. grapples with deep political division, policy gridlock, and widening social inequality, the health and wellness of Black communities remain at critical risk.
From unchecked violence in underserved neighborhoods to the manipulation of Medicaid and Medicare policy, the challenges facing Black Americans demand more than clinical solutions.
Black physicians are stepping beyond the hospital walls—onto the front lines of advocacy, education, and systemic change—to confront a crisis that continues to escalate.
The National Medical Association (NMA) held its 123rd Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly from July 20 to July 24 at the Hilton Chicago, drawing more than 3,200 Black physicians, medical students, policymakers, and public health advocates, according to organizers.
Under the theme “Transforming Population Health,” the gathering featured a youth walk, STEM fair, health fair, workshops, symposiums, plenaries, and panel discussions focused on eliminating racial health disparities, advancing medical education, and empowering Black communities through advocacy and innovation.
While the NMA remains a hub for top-tier scientific education, its annual meeting is increasingly becoming a convening space for political strategy and public health activism. This year, some of the nation’s most respected Black physicians, advocates, and institutions met not just to discuss medicine, but to deliver a new blueprint for saving Black lives.
Since its founding in 1895, the National Medical Association has been a leading advocate for equitable health care access. During the 1960s, the NMA championed the passage of Medicare and Medicaid, recognizing them as essential lifelines for Black and low-income communities.
The organization also played a key role in advancing hospital desegregation, leveraging Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to demand equal treatment for Black patients in federally funded institutions.
This year, the convention was bookended by a ceremonial leadership transition. Dr. Virginia A. Caine, director of the Marion County Public Health director Department, was celebrated for her tenure as the 125th president. On July 22, Dr. Roger A. Mitchell Jr., a forensic pathologist and president of Howard University Hospital, was formally installed as the 126th president.
His platform—“The New Reconstruction: Mobilizing Healthcare Justice for a New America”—calls for aligning healthcare policies with patient outcomes and physician needs.
One of the convention’s most urgent themes was gun violence—a leading cause of death for Black youth. “It’s a problem when violence is almost the number one killer of adolescents,” said Dr. Caine during the Edward D. Mazique, M.D. Symposium. “Ten million children in those homes are impacted. These are all preventable causes.”
The NMA Council on Violence Prevention announced a new coalition strategy focused on 4 cities—Chicago, Washington, D.C., Detroit, and Gary, Indiana—led in part by emergency medicine physician Dr. Abdullah Hasan Pratt of the University of Chicago.
Dr. Pratt’s Trauma Recovery and Prevention of Violence (TRAP) program targets high-risk youth in CPS schools. “We looked at the Chicago public schools that send the most children to our trauma center,” said Dr. Pratt. “That’s where we started our ‘Stop the Bleed’ training.”
Dr. Pratt emphasized the importance of self-reliance, echoing a guiding principle and Teaching of the Nation of Islam: “When we approach violence, we must not only look at it from an evidence-based and community-based perspective, but also draw on principles like those of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad—particularly the idea of self-sufficiency.
That principle is foundational.” He continued, “Physicians—especially Black physicians in leadership roles—must advocate for policy change. That’s why we’re engaging with policymakers like Rep. Robin Kelly, who are here with us.”
The discussion included Gregory Jackson, a nationally recognized activist and gun violence survivor, describing his journey from victim to policymaker. “There wasn’t enough action. People like me were being shot and killed every day. That’s why I started telling my story—and eventually led efforts that changed federal law,” he said.
Mr. Jackson helped establish the nation’s first Gun Violence Emergency Response Team with a $117 million budget. “We created a system that responds to gun violence the way we respond to floods,” he said. Mr. Jackson also helped pass 54 federal policies, including a Surgeon General advisory declaring gun violence a public health crisis.
Calls to action amid proposed cuts
Beyond gun violence, the NMA stressed the importance of addressing inequities in public health policies, funding, and education.
These calls to action come against a grim backdrop. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Black Americans are 40% more likely to have high blood pressure, 60% more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, and nearly 3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White Americans.
Black children are more likely to suffer from asthma and less likely to receive mental health services. Life expectancy in Black communities remains significantly lower due to inequities in housing, healthcare access, nutrition, and environmental exposure.
Medicaid is a crucial lifeline for many vulnerable populations. Children make up around 40% of all Medicaid beneficiaries, followed by low-income adults, people with disabilities, and seniors needing long-term care.
However, systemic inequities persist. While White Americans account for about 41% of Medicaid enrollees, Black Americans make up 22% and Latinos 27%—both overrepresented compared to their share of the population.
While addressing access remains urgent, an important emphasis must be placed on personal accountability alongside systemic reform.
“While I support a reasonable universal health care coverage plan, making America healthy must become the personal responsibility of each citizen, and not the responsibility of government, except in those cases where preventive care is not adequate,” said the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan in his book, “A Torchlight for America.”
Although published in 1993, the message is even more relevant in today’s political landscape. “This approach would require that each individual become more knowledgeable, and that leadership in the food industry, medical community and government become more responsible in providing and teaching the people the truth about caring for the human body,” Minister Farrakhan wrote.
The so-called “Big Beautiful Bill,” a proposed healthcare reform package, has come under fire for threatening healthcare safety net programs provided to vulnerable populations. The bill includes deep cuts to Medicaid and incentivizes privatized care models.
Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, a nationally recognized obesity expert, warned, “We’re seeing Medicaid expansion stalled or reversed in several states. That disproportionately impacts low-income Black and Brown families, especially in the South. And when access is denied, outcomes suffer.”
In 10 states, including Texas, Mississippi, and Georgia, Medicaid remains unexpanded. This leaves many Black residents in a “coverage gap”—earning too much to qualify for Medicaid but too little to afford private insurance. “This isn’t just about policy—it’s about people dying,” said Dr. Stanford. “If we don’t act now, the life expectancy gap will continue to grow.”
Representatives from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the world’s largest provider of HIV/AIDS services, joined the NMA convention to amplify their mission of holistic, patient-centered care. “HIV is just one aspect,” said Kendall Moore, AHF’s associate director of advocacy, social media and community engagement.
“We moved into housing, food security, and addressing patients as whole people—not just through pharmaceuticals.” AHF works with doctors, social workers, and leaders to fix problems that hurt Black communities the most.
Mr. Moore, who is also a WVON 1690 AM radio host, sounded the alarm over the dismantling of public health infrastructure, including cuts to Medicaid and the federal 340B drug discount program.
The 340B drug discount program enables eligible hospitals and clinics to purchase prescription medications at reduced prices, allowing them to better serve low-income and uninsured patients.
“This administration is gutting Medicaid and Medicare. Hospitals are closing in Mississippi and Louisiana. People are being kicked off their doctors’ rosters,” he said. Mr. Moore warned that eliminating 340B—a program that costs taxpayers nothing—would devastate access to affordable medications for underserved patients. “It’s not about healthcare anymore.
Misery is business,” he added. The foundation urges Black physicians to advocate for protections to public programs and increased recruitment of Black doctors in order to rebuild trust and access in the healthcare system.
Dr. Dionne Christenson, a former U.S. congressional representative and current physician, criticized large nonprofit hospitals for also failing the poor. “These hospitals are saving millions in taxes,” she said to The Final Call. “Instead of providing free or discounted care, they send patients to debt collectors. That’s just wrong.”
The federal bill also targets the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). According to the Congressional Budget Office, 3.2 million adults under 65 could lose benefits due to new work mandates.
Urban Institute data shows 22.3 million households, including 3.3 million with children and 3.5 million working families, would experience some loss. An estimated 93,000 premature deaths could result.
Dr. Stanford called for a paradigm shift. “Over 50% of Black women are living with obesity,” she said. “This is not just about calories in, calories out. Obesity is a neurobiological condition that involves the brain, the gut, and long-term regulation.” She advocates for medications when necessary and personalized care, not shame.
To close the racial health gap, cultivating the next generation of Black doctors is crucial. This was also addressed during the NMA’s conference. Black Americans make up just 5% of the nation’s physicians.
Dr. Ashley Otto, a resident at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, said her specialty—Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R)—was shaped by daily encounters with disabled and overlooked Black residents in Philadelphia.
“To be a minority means to be overlooked. But to be a minority and disabled means to be forgotten,” she said. “If I got into PM&R, I could help people who look like me—and advocate for those who often have no voice.”
Dr. Otto also stressed the importance of tech equity. “There’s new tech out there that can help our elders live with dignity,” she said. “But too many of our folks don’t know it exists—or can’t afford to use it.”
Dr. Jensiné Clark, assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati, echoed the need for mentorship. “PM&R has so much potential to attract students from diverse backgrounds, but the exposure isn’t there early enough,” she said. “We need repeated engagement, not just snapshots.”
Overall, the convention provided Black physicians, students, and health leaders with a powerful platform to learn, connect, and strategize for a healthier and more equitable future in medicine.
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