In this part of the lesson, Carla Gates emphasized the need for change in healthcare by referencing Dr. Camara Phyllis Jones’ quote: “Racism saps the strength of the whole society through the waste of human resources.” She explained that inequities harm not only the groups directly affected but also weaken society as a whole. By highlighting how what holds one group back ultimately holds everyone back, she underscored the collective responsibility to address unfairness in healthcare.

Carla Gates highlighted the lack of diverse representation in healthcare professions compared to the U.S. population, noting that while non-Hispanic white people make up 58% of the population, they are overrepresented in fields like nursing, medicine, and physical therapy, while Black and Hispanic professionals are significantly underrepresented. For example, Black people account for 12% of the population but only 6% of registered nurses and 4.5% of physical therapists. She stressed that while clinicians of any race can care for patients, this imbalance creates cross-cultural situations that require cultural humility and awareness. Furthermore, patients may be less trusting due to historical inequities and underrepresentation, which directly impacts the quality and effectiveness of healthcare.

Carla Gates addressed the Black maternal mortality crisis, presenting recent data showing that while maternal mortality rates decreased for white and Latina women between 2022 and 2023, the rate for Black women rose from 49.5 to 50.3 deaths per 100,000 births—nearly three times the national average of 18.6. She emphasized that this disparity cannot be explained by education or income, since highly educated, affluent Black women still face higher mortality rates than less educated white women, underscoring that race is the defining factor. Comparing the U.S. to other developed countries, she noted that nations like Norway and Poland report maternal mortality rates as low as 1–2 per 100,000, further highlighting America’s gap. Gates stressed that addressing barriers affecting Black maternal health would improve outcomes for all groups, since breaking down inequities benefits the entire healthcare system.

Carla Gates explained that health disparities, while most visible among Black and Latino communities, ultimately impact everyone, and reducing them benefits society as a whole. She highlighted the digital divide, which exists not only in low-income urban areas but also in rural regions, limiting timely access to care. By removing such barriers, patients can see doctors and receive treatment sooner, improving outcomes across all groups. She also emphasized the economic burden of inequities, noting that racial health disparities cost insurers $451 billion in 2018—a cost ultimately shared by everyone through higher premiums—and this figure could surpass $1 trillion by 2040 if unaddressed. Beyond health and financial impacts, eliminating disparities strengthens public trust, fosters social cohesion, and creates a healthier, more cooperative society for people of all racial, gender, and identity groups.

Carla Gates emphasized that removing health disparities requires addressing them at their roots, which means understanding and confronting history. She explained that healthcare systems were often designed to privilege certain groups while excluding others, and outdated attitudes from the past continue to shape modern biases and limit equitable care. By recognizing this history, society can dismantle harmful structures, redesign systems with inclusion in mind, and create policies that remove barriers to care. Gates highlighted the importance of shifting away from myths of biological race toward medicine grounded in shared humanity, ultimately fostering a culture of belonging and ensuring healthcare access for all.

Carla Gates concluded by introducing Reclaiming Health Learning Lab and sharing her own background as the foundation of its vision and approach. With more than 30 years of experience in clinical nursing, case management, health education, and organizational leadership, she brings both professional expertise and a commitment to equity. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Master of Health Science from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and is a certified diversity executive, having studied the business case for equity, inclusion, and belonging. Through this experience, Gates positions the Learning Lab as a space dedicated to addressing inequities, dismantling barriers rooted in history, and building a more just and inclusive healthcare system.

Carla Gates shared her vision for founding Reclaiming Health Learning Lab, rooted in her frustration with seeing clients repeatedly struggle to navigate the complex and often inequitable healthcare system. Drawing from personal experiences—such as recently helping a friend secure insurance approval for physical therapy after surgery—she emphasized how easily people can be denied necessary care without guidance. Tired of watching these systemic barriers persist over her 30 years in healthcare, Gates created the Learning Lab to confront the structures that obstruct equitable care and to champion a future where everyone has fair access to the services they need.

Carla Gates explained that the Reclaiming Health Learning Lab takes a justice-oriented and historically grounded approach, embedding history into every lesson to reveal how today’s healthcare system was built and why it must change. Guided by the principles of equity, access, participation, and human rights, the Lab’s teaching framework emphasizes both understanding and action. Gates stressed that the ultimate goal is empowerment—equipping professionals, providers, and community members alike to take meaningful steps toward advancing equity and creating a more inclusive healthcare system.

Carla Gates outlined the goals of the Reclaiming Health Learning Lab, emphasizing its mission to transform healthcare practices by equipping professionals with the tools to deliver equitable care. The Lab seeks to reveal how science and history continue to shape healthcare, highlight the systemic structures that must change, and ensure that the voices of marginalized and rural communities are centered in the conversation. By combining these efforts, Gates explained, the Learning Lab aims to help pave the way toward a fairer, more inclusive healthcare system for all.

Carla Gates explained that the Reclaiming Health Learning Lab will accomplish its mission through core learning experiences, beginning with self-paced asynchronous courses accessible from anywhere. These modules allow learners to explore the history of healthcare, its present-day impacts, and strategies for creating more equitable systems. Topics will include the myth of biological race and its influence on medicine, the historical development of nursing and medical professions, the practice of cultural humility, and the role of social and political determinants of health, among others—all designed to build knowledge and inspire action toward fair healthcare for all.

Carla Gates described the second core learning experience offered by the Reclaiming Health Learning Lab: customized workshops and seminars tailored for medical research organizations, hospitals, healthcare providers, or community groups. These interactive sessions, delivered either in person or virtually, are co-created with each organization to address its specific goals—whether building equity training for staff, fostering cultural humility, or empowering communities to better advocate for themselves. Designed around real-time discussion and Q&A, the workshops aim to create practical, outcome-driven learning experiences that directly support equitable healthcare practices.

Carla Gates explained that the primary audience of the Reclaiming Health Learning Lab is healthcare workers—including individual providers, nurses, and allied health professionals. The Lab is designed to support and equip these practitioners with the knowledge, skills, and tools they need to better understand inequities, practice cultural humility, and deliver more equitable care to the communities they serve.

Carla Gates noted that the Reclaiming Health Learning Lab serves two main audiences. First, it supports healthcare workers—providers, nurses, and allied health professionals—by equipping them with tools to recognize inequities and deliver culturally responsive, equitable care. Second, it partners with healthcare institutions, such as research labs and hospital systems, offering tailored seminars, workshops, or self-paced learning modules that can be integrated into staff training to advance organizational equity goals.

Carla Gates explained that the Reclaiming Health Learning Lab serves three main audiences. First, it supports healthcare workers—including providers, nurses, and allied health professionals—by equipping them with the skills to recognize inequities and deliver more equitable care. Second, it partners with healthcare institutions such as research labs and hospital systems, offering customized workshops, seminars, and self-paced courses that can be integrated into staff development and equity initiatives. Finally, the Lab also serves community groups and individual members, providing access to workshops and asynchronous courses that empower people to better understand healthcare systems and advocate for themselves and their communities.