Meet Terri Richardson

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Terri Richardson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Terri, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

I was born in Atlanta, Georgia and my parents moved the family to Denver, Colorado when I was four years old. We had a great neighborhood that early on, became a mostly Black neighborhood. I became aware of being the only one in the room that looked like me, when we were bussed across town in elementary school. Our bus was loaded up with young Black kids, but when we got to school, we were all buried in a sea of whiteness. At the time, I was unaware of the microaggressions that occurred during these early years. ” If she can do this then certainly the rest of you can get this.” I picked poems from my favorite Langston Hughes, which was never given as an option for students. Just a few things I can remember after all these years. I started to get a hint that being Black was equated to being sub-standard. In high school I had very few Blacks in my classes, once I exited the bus. A teacher asked me once if I was sure I was in the right class. I also had a high school counselor refuse to give me scholarship applications, because I was “not qualified.” This was far from the truth. Thanks to my parents’ intervention, I was able to apply and secure some needed academic scholarships.
How have I learned to be effective and successful despite being the “only one”. I attribute much of my success to my wonderful southern parents. They encouraged all six of their children to be proud of who we are as people, as Black people. We learned our history as a powerful people who contributed not just to the U.S., but to the world. They also stressed that we should have a great work ethic. They encouraged us to work hard, do the best that we could do, and be good people no matter what. They demonstrated how to advocate for what is right, but be smart about how you go about doing the advocacy.
I also credit my high school teacher, Mr. Tsumura, who pushed me to see myself as special no matter what others may try to portray. I never wanted to stick out in the crowd, but he insisted that I was excellent and he knew I would go far. He never made me feel like I was the only one in the room.
College, medical school, residency there continued to be times when I was the only one in the room that looked like me, but by then my destiny was set. I had always been rather shy outside of my home space, but these experiences forced me to be more vocal. There definitely was stress and pressure being the only one, but I used my foundation- developed years before, believing in myself, my faith- knowing that this was my destined path, determination, and keeping my eye on the prize. I had to be strong, but remain true to myself. Though living with a foot in two worlds, I maintained my roots. I remained unapologetically Black and arrogant, in a sense that you have to take me or leave me, because, I’m going to continue to be Black! I am going to perform to the best of my ability and in excellence.
This was a long winded way to say that my early foundation, my path filled with many remarkable people, and being true to who I am has helped me be successful when I’ve been the only one who looks like me in the room.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

When I told folks that I was going to retire, they told me I would be bored. Laugh out Loud!! I don’t think I have ever been bored in my life. I retired three years ago from my clinical practice as an Internal medicine physician. I practiced for 34 years ( 17 at Denver Health and 17 at Kaiser Permanente) and I loved it. Since retiring my days seem busier than ever and people frequently state that I seem more busy now than when I was working.

What am I doing in my spare time? I serve on several health oriented boards. I am trying to keep these to a minimum. I am a life-long learner and these boards provide great intellectual stimulation and connect with different people than I might ordinarily engage with. Many of them are also doing great work to serve the community.

I spend many hours volunteering for my favorite non-profit, Colorado Black Health Collaborative (CBHC). This organization is special to me, because in 2008, I was part of a committee that was planning a one time community event. At the end of the event the community stated they wanted to continue the work and thus CBHC was born. I recall sitting around the table talking to Dr. Cerise Hunt the true founder of CBHC) and Thelma Craig, determining how we were going to develop this non-profit. 16 years later, CBHC continues to work on the mission of achieving health equity in Colorado’s Black community. We have a number of programs focused on the needs of OUR community. I love CBHC, but don’t get me wrong, it is hard work keeping a non- profit afloat. However, the students, community members, and others that have been involved with and/ or benefitted from the organization, makes me smile. One of CBHC programs that I work with is the Black Barbershop/Salon Health Outreach Program (BBSHOP). With this program we go into the shops to focus on hypertension. We meet people where they are, which is great. The shops are wonderful cultural institutions in our community. We screen, educate, and refer clients, per our motto, “just for the health of it! We currently have fourteen shops and twenty volunteers. We also have a sub-component of the program called, Project HairCare. We train barbers and stylists to assist their clients who have mental health challenges. This month we hosted three pharmacists from a USA Cameroon Pharmacy organization, who joined us to screen clients and talk with them about their medications. They later shared their experiences with conference attendees.

Our Executive Director is leading a couple mental health programs focused on maternal (Black Mamas Matter) and youth (KITS) clients. I was able to attend a recent seminar for the women’s program and they were all very appreciative and felt that this trusted comforting space is so needed for the Black mamas.

Our Tackling Menthol in the Black Community team continues to work in the community to educate about the harms of tobacco, predatory marketing, and cessation solutions. We know that flavors hook kids and so our group is part of a broader Coalition that is helping to address this issue. We need to put people ( kids) and public health before profit.

We are set to release our new Colorado Black Health Resource Directory in November. This handy resource is focused on health resources from a holistic perspective, wedding both traditional medical practitioners as well as social determinant of health and additional health providers.

Some of my favorite things to do in my spare time: play scrabble. I play scrabble regularly with some friends. I am an armchair football and WNBA basketball coach. II love the more artsy movies, reading, dancing, and love to walk.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Being humble/humility – which is not having to be the loudest voice in the room or acting in a way that suggests you think you are better than others. It is about realizing your limitations and never being too much “on high” to learn and grow. It is about letting your work speak for itself. Importantly it is about being able to acknowledge the contributions of others, before yourself. Being introspective after your activities or involvement will give you the chance to examine whether you were humble in the spaces. Granted sometimes humility has to go out the window, but for the most part BE HUMBLE.

Collaboration/Group think/leveraging connections- One of the greatest assets I found during my path is great collaborations. I am a firm believer that group think and working collaboratively is the most effective way to generate the best product. No one knows it all and one quiet voice in the back may have the nugget that is needed. Collaboration is about trust, supporting one another, working towards a common goal, active listening, and respecting and valuing the input of all parties involved. Tied to collaboration is leveraging your connections to create a solid network of support. The network effect can be powerful!

Staying true to yourself – It takes courage to be who you are, especially in some of the spaces that are not welcoming. To me staying true to yourself is not compromising your integrity for others. Not pretending. It is presenting yourself in a way that aligns with your beliefs and values. It is also understanding your strengths and values. For me I am unapologetically Black. That is who I am. It is how I represent. “Say it loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud.”

I once shared with some young people that you can attend institutions of higher learning, some might be quite prestigious. There will be some degree of indoctrination, but through it all never let them touch your soul. Because your soul is what you need to serve your community!

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?

I am going to list two: Finally… I’m a Doctor by Neil Shulman, MD. It is not necessarily the content, but the context of the book. As a graduation gift from high school one of the men from the lab where I washed test tubes, gave me the book. On the first page he wrote: ” Terri, on this your last day at the lab…..I wish you to have this portent of things to come….. If you but persevere the world is at your feet. With respect and affection, best wishes for your continued success.

The book was a fictionalized account of medical school training. The subtext read, “an hilarious account of the misery- and mirth – of medical school”. My supervisors in the lab recognized that washing test tubes was far from what it would take to become a doctor. However, they went the extra mile when I came to work. They quizzed me on anatomy, asked about supporting classes I was taking, and mentioned that obstacles were inevitable. They talked about what it would take to achieve my goals, etc. These folks were great. They accepted me for who I was and were extremely encouraging. The head boss used to call me little girl. As I look back I recall her efforts for diversity and equity. She was before her time.

I would also say I have had many other angels and wise people along my path that made it possible to complete my professional as well as my personal journey. My parents, of course, were always there for support and guidance.