An Inspiring Conversation with Sarah Moritz | Thor Companies
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Welcome to the 5th Edition of Thortful Minds: Join Francesca, Head of the DEIB Community at Thor in this in-depth interview with Sarah Moritz. A proud gay, black woman who has triumphed over adversity, most notably conquering breast cancer, shares her powerful insights on Black History Month. With a passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion, Sarah's personal journey and commitment to a more inclusive and united future are truly inspirational. Learn how she advocates for change and highlights the importance of representation in every aspect of life.

Born in the United States but a new resident of Nürnberg, Sarah is immersing herself in the German language. She shares her life with her loving wife, and together they enjoy leisurely walks with their adorable chi-weenie, Poncho. These moments of togetherness reflect her love and appreciation for the simple joys of life.

Sarah's interests encompass a wide array of passions, including audiobooks, which allow her to continue her love for learning and personal development. Her green thumb also finds satisfaction in gardening. However, Sarah’s devotion to live music is unwavering. If there's a concert in town, you can undoubtedly find her dancing in the front row. Keep on reading to learn more about her story and how she is contributing to a more inclusive and united future!

 

 

Why is Black History Month important? How does it help people learn about Black history and culture, and how does it make society more inclusive and fair?

Black History Month is not only important, it’s crucial. This month educates, informs, and promotes a more inclusive and equitable society. To me, it’s one of the most powerful times of the year because it provides a dedicated platform for recognizing and celebrating the largely overlooked, marginalized, and omitted contributions of Black people to various fields. It highlights many significant achievements in politics, science, arts, and more, which are vital to a more comprehensive understanding of history. Because these struggles, accomplishments, and milestones of the Black community are so often left untold, Black History Month is the perfect opportunity to lean into the discomfort, dissect the information, learn from our mistakes, combat harmful racial stereotypes and promote social change. It is a time to acknowledge the past, reflect on the present, and demand change for the future. The awareness and discussions stemming from Black History Month have led, and will continue to lead, to advocacy and necessary policy changes that address serious issues like voting rights, criminal justice reform, and equal access to education and healthcare.

Celebrating Black History Month is also crucial because it empowers the Black community by acknowledging their heritage, resilience, and growth. It reinforces a sense of pride, identity, and belonging. Black History Month offers inspirational role models and stories of resilience, determination, and achievement, which can motivate individuals, especially young Black people, to pursue their goals and dreams regardless of obstacles they may face. From author/activist John La Rose to athletes such as Nicola Adams, we need to share the stories and amplify the voices of Black leaders and pioneers so they can serve as inspiration for future generations. We need to encourage open and honest conversations, in safe spaces, about race and equity. We need to demonstrate solidarity with the Black community if we want a more inclusive, equitable, and fair society, where everyone can thrive regardless of their race or ethnicity.

 

What are the historical and current factors that affect the way Black women are treated in healthcare? How have these factors shaped their medical history and experiences?

My heart pounds and my fists clench as I begin to try to answer this question. Growing up in the U.S., there are several factors that lead to less effective or appropriate medical care for Black women. Unfortunately, it begins with the vicious cycle and systemic racism. Starting with residential segregation, Black neighbourhoods were then denied basic utility services such as trash pickup. Those same neighborhoods were then labelled the slums, they received less funding for their public schools and less convenient/reliable public transportation to schools and work. Black children in those neighbourhoods are then less likely to go to college, and therefore less likely to receive a good education, a good job, and finally, proper healthcare benefits.

The harsher truth is that even with adequate health care, Black people, and specifically black women, still face implicit racial bias and discrimination resulting in misdiagnosis, underdiagnosis, or delayed treatment. Off the top of my head, I know that Black women have the highest maternal mortality rate in the United States. They also have the highest mortality rate for cervical cancer. Stereotypes about pain tolerance and drug addiction have led to disparities in pain management and access to pain medication. Additionally, even though many states finally passed the CROWN Act in 2019 which prohibits racial discrimination based on hairstyles and textures including braids, locs and twists, Black women are still terrified to attend any health-related appointments without their hair being straightened and meeting that Eurocentric standard of beauty because of their previous negative experiences being stereotyped. They know they will be judged and not receive proper health care. To make matters worse, there was a study in 2019 that linked the use of permanent hair dye and chemical hair straighteners to a higher risk of breast cancer. The risk was more than six times higher for Black women.

As a Black woman who underwent cancer treatment last year, this wound is still fresh for me. Taking everything we know about healthcare, Black women, hair, etc., I attended my appointment arriving promptly, well dressed, hair done, and insurance card in hand. I was still met with condescension and a disregard of my concerns and questions. Something was wrong, and yet my doctor sent me on my way. He claimed I was fine and didn’t need a breast exam. At a later date, I wanted to schedule a mammogram and he went out of his way to call me saying I didn’t one of those either. I still had one and when the results were in, his office said I was fine. However, I had asked for a copy of the report which said the results were inconclusive due to dense breast tissue. So it didn’t say I was fine, it said it didn’t know if I was fine. I scheduled a second opinion, and had I not advocated for myself and gotten that second opinion I don’t know that I would be alive today. I had a team of amazing, female, doctors of color. Thankfully we caught it early. I was diagnosed with stage II breast cancer, but it was aggressive. My oncologist said my Oncotype score was the highest she’d ever seen. I had a double mastectomy and received 5.5 months of chemotherapy followed by two more follow-up surgeries.

This happens to Black Women every day. These factors can become the foundation for every thought and action in their future. It can consume them and terrify them on a daily basis really taking a toll on their mental health. I know this because I live that struggle every day. Every single day I think about the doctor and every other doctor before him who dismissed me. I think about all the research I did once I received my diagnosis and learning that not only are Black women more at risk for developing breast cancer but also have the highest mortality rate from breast cancer, yet the least amount of clinical trial data. How?! I think about how this world wasn’t made for left handed, gay, black women like me yet will use and abuse people like me in a heartbeat for anything that could benefit them. I think about cultural appropriation diminishing the cultural and historical value behind black protective hairstyles. I think about Dr. James Marion Sims’ experimental surgeries, without anaesthesia, on enslaved Black women who could not consent, and The Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in Black Men. Historic exploitation and ongoing mistrust of the healthcare system have resulted in a decrease in Black people seeking medical care and participating in clinical trials. I also think about the amount of therapy it’ll ultimately take to heal the trauma caused.
 

How can we effectively support the healthcare and mental well-being of Black women, considering the historical and medical disparities they face?

It’s all just a sobering reminder that the fight for racial equality is far from over. We’ve been set up for failure for so long. We need attention on systemic racism, discrimination, and disparities in all areas like education and criminal justice. We need funding in schools, equal access to utility services and public transportation. These broader structural issues all contribute to the overall health and success in Black communities.

The underrepresentation of Black women in clinical trials has resulted in a lack of data on how certain medical conditions, medications, or treatments specifically affect Black women. This lack of data can lead to healthcare providers making misdiagnoses or recommending treatments that are not as effective for Black women. When I was undergoing cancer treatment and learned there was hardly any data for Black women I asked why I wasn’t solicited to join a clinical study and if I could join one. I was told there weren’t any at the time. We need to encourage and fund more research that specifically examines healthcare disparities in Black women. We need to increase diversity in the healthcare workforce. We need to implement policies to reduce racial bias. We also need Healthcare providers who are culturally competent and fully understand the unique health and cultural needs of Black women. We need more clinical studies and more Black women willing to join those clinical studies. We need to motivate Black women to take an active role in their healthcare by scheduling regular check-ups, screenings, and preventive care. We need to inform Black women about their patient rights and teach them how to assert themselves within the healthcare system. Actively addressing these issues is vital for achieving equitable healthcare outcomes and a healthier mental state for Black women and all marginalized communities.

 

How can workplaces be structured, and policies be implemented to specifically support the mental health of Black individuals?

Honestly, it’s the same as within the healthcare system. We need more Black representation. We need more diverse people in more positions of power in general! I’ve seen so many committees, boards, etc., that are in charge of representing diverse individuals but are in fact made up of less than 10% diverse members. How are any women, LGTBQIA+, and people of color supposed to feel supported when the ones making the rules are cis-gendered, heterosexual, white, males? I’ve seen founders of companies try to quietly let go of employees openly struggling with mental health issues. I’ve witnessed board leaders single handedly tank potential working resource groups directly ignoring the guidance of a diversity expert. I’ve heard them all say they care but then makeup excuses to not implement the changes needed. They lack empathy and appreciation of the struggles and triumphs of the Black community.

We need better leaders who will fight for the Black community and not shy away from the mental health crisis. Hire experts to lead training on cultural appreciation, communication, and power dynamics. Employment assistance programs should offer therapy opportunities and other resources for anyone struggling with mental health issues. Create an office book club and feature a lineup of Black authors. Follow Black artists and musicians on social media and share with your colleagues and friends about what you learn.

There’s truly so much we can do. Whether at school or in the workplace, we need to teach and encourage the exploration of Black culture. The rich and diverse history and experiences of Black people.

 

How has music, particularly the work of Black artists, personally served as a healer in your life, and what aspects of their music resonate with you in this healing process?

Music is my life line; it accompanies me through every aspect of my life. I’ve created playlists for everything because I firmly believe that music has the power to guide me through any situation. Regardless of the circumstances or challenges I face, music offers a reassuring sense of connection, knowing that someone else has traversed a similar path and has lived to sing about it. This connection becomes even more profound when the artist is Black, because again, representation matters. It’s crucial in providing solace, inspiration, and healing. They’ve been where I’ve been. We’ve walked in the same shoes and know the same struggles. There’s a trust and an overwhelming sense of community and belonging.

Music sometimes also has the incredible power to transcend time, to transport us back to cherished memories and emotions. I vividly recall watching Halle Bailey's portrayal of The Little Mermaid and listening to her beautiful voice. In an instant, I was transported to my five-year-old self, watching my favourite childhood movie but with the added joy of seeing someone who looks like me. I think this is what people mean when they say “core memories.”

 

Music was an essential part of my healing process when I was going through treatment. I found comfort in the resilience of artists like Calypso Rose, a breast cancer survivor, and the soothing voice of Alicia Keys. When I got married last month, it was my favorite time curating the best of the best playlists. I danced all night to Beyonce, Whitney, and Rihanna. When I moved to Germany a month later, my friends and I celebrated the weekend before by attending the Janelle Monae concert together in Phoenix. We were front row and just in awe. I danced, I cried, I felt every word. It was a fantastic show rooted in love, dedicated to fun and pleasure and completely unapologetic. I couldn’t have thought of a more perfect send-off into my new life here in Germany.

 

In celebrating Black History Month with the "Saluting Our Sisters" theme, can you share a powerful story or example of a Black woman's contributions to history that particularly inspires you?

There are so many excellent choices, but at this point, I will say I'm engrossed in a re-reading of "Hidden Figures." The Janelle Monae concert was so inspiring, and they are in the 2016 film which is an adaptation of Margot Lee Shetterly’s book about the incredible contributions of female African-American mathematicians who played pivotal roles at NASA. Their extraordinary efforts were instrumental in propelling the U.S. Space program forward during the Space Race despite the challenges of racism, misogyny, and segregation. It's an incredibly powerful story that emphasizes the hurdles faced by Black women in science.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are interested in being part of our Thortful Minds DEIB community or want to know more about Diverse & inclusive hiring strategies, please reach out to Francesca via:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesca-pollard-004a12126/

fpo@thor-companies.com

+49 89 54196586

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