To close out the end of Black History Month, we want to continue to highlight our Black and African American staff to hear their stories and to show our appreciation for their contributions in the work that we do.
Who is LaDeirdre Mumford?
“I am a 25-year-old Hopkinsville, KY native. I moved to Bowling Green, KY in 2014 to attend Western Kentucky University, where I graduated, with honors, in 2018 with my Bachelor’s in Public Health (B.S) and certification in Worksite Promotion. During my college career, I joined the Army National Guard and commissioned upon my graduation from college. My mom has been my backbone during all of my life achievements. At Matthew 25 AIDS Services, I work as a Health Educator and a Linkage to Care Specialist. Some of the community may know me as I go around delivering information and contraceptives. As a Linkage to Care Specialist, my job is to get those newly diagnosed, transferring care, or returning to care into our organization.”
What does Black History Month mean to you?
“To me, Black History Month is a time to reflect on the experiences, hardships, and accomplishments of Black Americans. It is a time to watch the progress that has been made in our community and how much further we have to go. Black History Month is also a time we celebrate our heritage, culture, etc. Although in our community it is celebrated all year long, February is especially for us.”
Who is a Black public figure that you admire and why?
“There are two black public figures that I admire: Aurelia Spaulding and Andre Love-Hosea. Ms. Aurelia teaches at WKU. When I was in college, she was the Bonner Leader director (which I had the opportunity to be a part of) at a predominantly white institute (PWI). Not only that, but she is also involved in the community outside of WKU. Recently, Ms. Aurelia started her own non-profit- For A Real Change, Inc. Andre Love-Hosea is an officer in the Army Reserves, a barber, an author- The Outcome, and a graduate student. Despite his busy schedule, he manages a non-profit motivational page- AG Studs, that awards annual scholarships and gives free haircuts to a group home all at the age of 23. Both of these public figures are people in our communities. They are a representation of both women empowerment and black excellence!”
How is the Black community specifically affected by HIV/ AIDS?
“The black community is specifically impacted by HIV because we are the leading race. HIV is more prominent in our community. Awareness could greatly lower the percentage that is affected.”
What can we do as a whole in this country to better support our Black communities?
“As a whole, there’s a lot that can be done to better support Black communities, but I’ll keep it brief. Health care professionals need to acknowledge that racism is a Public Health crisis. Black Americans are not being listened to as far as our health. Another thing that can be done, is to eliminate the stereotypes. Our names should not lessen our chances at certain professions, our natural hair should not be viewed as unprofessional, and most importantly, our skin should not be viewed as a threat.”
I want to thank LaDeirdre for sharing her experience with us and allowing us to share it with all of our followers. We are very happy and appreciative to have her as a part of our team here at Matthew 25.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule a free and confidential HIV test, please call (866) 607-6590. You can also email jdunn@matthew25clinic.org for more!
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