05.14.2025
A NOTE FROM OUR FOUNDER
Dear Black Health Connect Family,
As I reflect on this moment and what it means for our future, I feel the need to speak plainly and truthfully: We are living through a coordinated rollback of progress—attacks on the defunding of essential healthcare research, funding, and a broader retreat from the commitments that once promised a more equitable and inclusive future.
These aren’t just shifts in policy; they are deliberate efforts to undo the bridges to opportunity that generations of leaders fought to build. We are seeing our spaces disappear, our ERGs becoming less active, and some of our organizations investing fewer resources in our growth.
And the truth is—spaces like ours are not immune.
At Black Health Connect, we’ve worked to build something that didn’t previously exist: an intergenerational, interdisciplinary space where healthcare professionals can gather, collaborate, and thrive. This entire endeavor—Black Health Connect—has been built upon community and the paradigm of mutual support. But we’re not a corporate-backed institution. We’re a community built by us, for us. And like many organizations before us, we rely on our people to sustain it. If we’re honest, this moment is not just about the impact on our communities. It’s about whether we will show up for each other—and whether this space can continue to grow, or even exist, without that support.
I have been truly inspired by the communities, networks, and people I’ve had the chance to interact with—city to city, state to state, country to country. I always say, and truly believe, that 'Community is at the center of all change'. As a collective entity, we can do so much to uplift our community personally and professionally.
We are not just clinicians, administrators, pharma professionals or entrepreneurs. We are not just bioengineers, health policy experts, or public health experts. We represent the entire healthcare ecosystem, and like my people say, 'L’union Fait La Force'—together, we can sustain, together, we will progress beyond these uncertain times.
To be direct, we need you. These spaces don’t exist without the strength, passion, and investment of the community. We believe in the power of collective action and have faith that we can continue to rely on the very community that built this movement.
It’s been through this community that a small mixer in NYC grew into a network of over 30,000. It is through this community that we’ve spanned over 24 cities. It is through this community that we’ve bridged healthcare professionals across 4 countries and 3 continents.
If Black Health Connect has made a difference in your journey—by facilitating connections, creating opportunities, or simply providing a sense of belonging in a new place—consider standing with us as we continue building.
Most importantly, come and find your community.
If you’re feeling alone in these times, these are the moments to reach out and come together. You are not alone. We all need each other. We all need Community—Now More Than Ever.
Finally, I am deeply grateful for the support, belief, trust, and investment that have carried us this far. Whether you’ve attended a mixer, sponsored an event, shared our mission, or simply showed up, you’ve made this movement possible. Thank you for being part of this journey.
We hope you can help us on our mission to continue Bridging Healthcare Communities.
See you at the conference.
As a thank you for being part of this journey, use the code [FYCBHC] for 20% off registrations, and 10% off VIP Registration
In Community,
Dr. Duclas Charles
Founder, Black Health Connect
