Activism

Finding the Right Doctor: Black Californians Weigh the Burden and Benefits

A California Health Care Foundation study published in May 2024 on heath disparities by race and ethnicity in the state found that Black Californians had the shortest life expectancy at 74.6 years. One in four Black respondents in the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) felt they could have received better care if they were a different race/ethnicity.

Published

12 months ago

January 1, 2025

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Edward Henderson, California Black Media

Living in California has been a dream come true for screenwriter Imani Quinn. She counts the Los Angeles-area weather, professional opportunities and proximity to close friends as some of the things that have made the experience especially rewarding for her.

However, when Quinn discovered she was pregnant, finding a good physician to help guide her along that journey became her number one priority – and greatest pain point.

Like many African Americans in California, Quinn said she found it difficult to find a physician who relates to her culturally, considers her lived experiences, and acknowledges the deep-seated racial biases that have been imbued in the health care delivery system historically in the United States.

“It was important because Black women have one of the highest mortality rates with childbirth, childbearing,” said Quinn. “I wanted to make sure that I was in the hands of somebody who knew how to prioritize my health as a Black woman — someone who knows the statistics and knows what to look for and makes me feel safe and comfortable.”

In 2021, the percentage of Black infants in California who were born preterm (12.7%) or who had low birthweight (12.4%) was higher than those of other races/ethnicities. Black mothers/birthing people experienced the highest maternal mortality rate among all races/ethnicities between 2018 and 2020.

A California Health Care Foundation study published in May 2024 on heath disparities by race and ethnicity in the state found that Black Californians had the shortest life expectancy at 74.6 years. One in four Black respondents in the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) felt they could have received better care if they were a different race/ethnicity.

Given these staggering statistics, Dr. Glenda Newell-Harris, an internal physician and medical advocate based in Oakland, says it is urgent for Black physicians to provide the extra care and attention to improve these numbers.

A 2023 research study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that evaluated all 1618 counties in the United States found that the life expectancy for Blacks was higher in areas where there were higher concentrations of Black doctors.

But how can Black Californians find them? California Black Media spoke with Newell-Harris about some strategies.

“The best recommendations come from patients, not doctors,” she said “At the end of the day, your physician has to be a professional that meets your needs. Somebody that’s willing to listen to you. Somebody that’s going to be available to see you. Somebody who works with you — whatever your situation is.”

Newell-Harris recommends consulting the National Medical Association in addition to seeking counsel from other Black organizations like churches, fraternities/sororities and local chapters of the NAACP to network and get doctor recommendations from other patients.

Another useful resource for Black Californians seeking the right doctor is myblacktelehealth.com, Newell says. For Black women, there is asktia.com.

Newell says the process may take a little more time, but it is a way to get access to a network of physicians of color and others who have a proven record of success working with Black patients.

In South L.A., where there is one of the highest concentrations of Black Californians in the state — 28% of a population of about 271,000 – the shortage of doctors is acute. Therefore, the chance of finding an available Black doctor or culturally competent one is even more challenging.

“It’s a starting point if you are completely at your wit’s end,” she added.

Quinn says her search for a Black physician in the Los Angeles area began online, consulting social media groups and women’s wellness spaces in Los Angeles.

“They referred me to some OB’s. But they were all White, majority of them were men. I was surprised at how much these institutions don’t have these resources to help people find the kind of OB that they want. So, I ended up doing a lot of my own research just by, like, Googling people.”

According to a 2020 study, only 3% of California’s physicians are Black.

According to Dr. Elaine Batchlor, CEO of the MLK Community Health Center hospital in South LA, the region needs more doctors.

“There are 39 physicians per 100,000 residents in South LA,” Batchlor said in a statement. “Compare that with 1,000 physicians for the same population in Los Angeles’s west side. The physician gap in this community is the next mountain we must move.”

An additional option, experts say, to work around the shortage of Black physicians in California is Telehealth. The medium, which gained popularity during the pandemic, has many benefits when it comes to consulting Black physicians across the state – or even the country — if one is not available in your city.

“Telehealth can be utilized for so many ways,” said Newell-Harris. “If you’re in a rural area and the specialist is far, then it helps to be able to get a telehealth visit. It can be a lifeline.”

However, Newell-Harris only recommends using telehealth for specialists and emphasizes that it is not a substitution for a primary care physician. She stressed the importance of seeing an in-person physician for important heath concerns that need to be diagnosed in person.

Some PCPs also offer telehealth visits for some routine checkups and other services.

For Quinn and many other Black Californians, sometimes finding the right doctor for you might be driving a little farther to another city or community in your region.

Luckily, Quinn said she saved a contact she made while hosting a podcast and was able to get a referral to a Black physician based in Los Angeles.

“I’ve gone to her for a visit so far and had communication with her. There’s an alignment just from a lifestyle place. And then just, yeah, her being a Black woman and being knowledgeable about, different genetic things that we can get that are more race specific, Quinn shared. “The experience was warm and welcoming.”

This article is supported by the California Black Health Journalism Project, a program created by California Black Media, that addresses the top health challenges African Americans in California face. It relies on the input of community and practitioners; an awareness of historical factors, social contexts and root causes; and a strong focus on solutions as determined by policymakers, advocates and patients.

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Oakland Post: Week of December 24 – 30, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – December 24 – 30, 2025

Published

1 day ago

December 25, 2025

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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Lu Lu’s House is Not Just Toying Around with the Community

Wilson and Lambert will be partnering with Mayor Barbara Lee on a toy giveaway on Dec. 20. Young people, like Dremont Wilkes, age 15, will help give away toys and encourage young people to stay in school and out of trouble. Wilkes wants to go to college and become a specialist in financial aid. Sports agent Aaron Goodwin has committed to giving all eight young people from Lu Lu’s House a fully paid free ride to college, provided they keep a 3.0 grade point average and continue the program. Lu Lu’s House is not toying around.

Published

6 days ago

December 20, 2025

Oakland Post

Tania Fuller Bryant, Zirl Wilson, Dremont Wilkes, Tracy Lambert and Dr. Geoffrey Watson. Courtesy Oakland Private Industry

Special to the Post

Lu Lu’s House is a 501c3 organization based in Oakland, founded by Mr. Zirl Wilson and Mr. Tracy Lambert, both previously incarcerated. After their release from jail, they wanted to change things for the better in the community — and wow, have they done that!

The duo developed housing for previously incarcerated people, calling it “Lu Lu’s House,” after Wilson’s wonderful wife. At a time when many young people were robbing, looting, and involved in shootings, Wilson and Lambert took it upon themselves to risk their lives to engage young gang members and teach them about nonviolence, safety, cleanliness, business, education, and the importance of health and longevity.

Lambert sold hats and T-shirts at the Eastmont Mall and was visited by his friend Wilson. At the mall, they witnessed gangs of young people running into the stores, stealing whatever they could get their hands on and then rushing out. Wilson tried to stop them after numerous robberies and finally called the police, who Wilson said, “did not respond.” Having been incarcerated previously, they realized that if the young people were allowed to continue to rob the stores, they could receive multiple criminal counts, which would take their case from misdemeanors to felonies, resulting in incarceration.

Lu Lu’s House traveled to Los Angeles and obtained more than 500 toys
for a Dec. 20 giveaway in partnership with Oakland Mayor Barbara
Lee. Courtesy Oakland Private Industry,

Wilson took it upon himself to follow the young people home and when he arrived at their subsidized homes, he realized the importance of trying to save the young people from violence, drug addiction, lack of self-worth, and incarceration — as well as their families from losing subsidized housing. Lambert and Wilson explained to the young men and women, ages 13-17, that there were positive options which might allow them to make money legally and stay out of jail. Wilson and Lambert decided to teach them how to wash cars and they opened a car wash in East Oakland. Oakland’s Initiative, “Keep the town clean,” involved the young people from Lu Lu’s House participating in more than eight cleanup sessions throughout Oakland. To assist with their infrastructure, Lu Lu’s House has partnered with Oakland’s Private Industry Council.

For the Christmas season, Lu Lu’s House and reformed young people (who were previously robbed) will continue to give back.

Lu Lu’s House traveled to Los Angeles and obtained more than 500 toys.

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Desmond Gumbs — Visionary Founder, Mentor, and Builder of Opportunity

Gumbs’ coaching and leadership journey spans from Bishop O’Dowd High School, Oakland High School, Stellar Prep High School. Over the decades, hundreds of his students have gone on to college, earning academic and athletic scholarships and developing life skills that extend well beyond sports.

Published

6 days ago

December 20, 2025

Oakland Post

NCAA football history was made this year when Head Coach from Mississippi Valley State, Terrell Buckley and Head Coach Desmond Gumbs both had starting kickers that were Women. This picture was taken after the game. Courtesy photo.

Special to the Post

For more than 25 years, Desmond Gumbs has been a cornerstone of Bay Area education and athletics — not simply as a coach, but as a mentor, founder, and architect of opportunity. While recent media narratives have focused narrowly on challenges, they fail to capture the far more important truth: Gumbs’ life’s work has been dedicated to building pathways to college, character, and long-term success for hundreds of young people.

A Career Defined by Impact

One of his most enduring contributions is his role as founder of Stellar Prep High School, a non-traditional, mission-driven institution created to serve students who needed additional structure, belief, and opportunity. Through Stellar Prep numerous students have advanced to college — many with scholarships — demonstrating Gumbs’ deep commitment to education as the foundation for athletic and personal success.

NCAA football history was made this year when Head Coach from
Mississippi Valley State, Terrell Buckley and Head Coach Desmond
Gumbs both had starting kickers that were women. This picture was
taken after the game.

A Personal Testament to the Mission: Addison Gumbs

Perhaps no example better reflects Desmond Gumbs’ philosophy than the journey of his son, Addison Gumbs. Addison became an Army All-American, one of the highest honors in high school football — and notably, the last Army All-Americans produced by the Bay Area, alongside Najee Harris.

Both young men went on to compete at the highest levels of college football — Addison Gumbs at the University of Oklahoma, and Najee Harris at the University of Alabama — representing the Bay Area on a national level.

Building Lincoln University Athletics From the Ground Up

In 2021, Gumbs accepted one of the most difficult challenges in college athletics: launching an entire athletics department at Lincoln University in Oakland from scratch. With no established infrastructure, limited facilities, and eventually the loss of key financial aid resources, he nonetheless built opportunities where none existed.

Under his leadership, Lincoln University introduced:

Football
Men’s and Women’s Basketball
Men’s and Women’s Soccer

Operating as an independent program with no capital and no conference safety net, Gumbs was forced to innovate — finding ways to sustain teams, schedule competition, and keep student-athletes enrolled and progressing toward degrees. The work was never about comfort; it was about access.

Voices That Reflect His Impact

Desmond Gumbs’ philosophy has been consistently reflected in his own published words:

“if you have an idea, you’re 75% there the remaining 25% is actually doing it.”
“This generation doesn’t respect the title — they respect the person.”
“Greatness is a habit, not a moment.”

Former players and community members have echoed similar sentiments in public commentary, crediting Gumbs with teaching them leadership, accountability, confidence, and belief in themselves — lessons that outlast any single season.

Context Matters More Than Headlines

Recent articles critical of Lincoln University athletics focus on logistical and financial hardships while ignoring the reality of building a new program with limited resources in one of the most expensive regions in the country. Such narratives are ultimately harmful and incomplete, failing to recognize the courage it takes to create opportunity instead of walking away when conditions are difficult.

The real story is not about early struggles — it is about vision, resilience, and service.

A Legacy That Endures

From founding Stellar PREP High School, to sending hundreds of students to college, to producing elite athletes like Addison Gumbs, to launching Lincoln University athletics, Desmond Gumbs’ legacy is one of belief in young people and relentless commitment to opportunity.

His work cannot be reduced to headlines or records. It lives on in degrees earned, scholarships secured, leaders developed, and futures changed — across the Bay Area and beyond.