DEI Special Edition Spring / Summer 2024
I ’ d like to take this opportunity to thank my friend, James “ Chip ” Thomas, MD, for introducing me to Dr. Begay. Chip recently retired as a physician for the Navajo Nation after over 3 decades of service. He is also an internationally known photog- rapher, street artist, and social justice activist. He coordinates the Painted Desert Project – a community building project responsible for murals across the Navajo Nation painted by artists from all over the reservation and the world. Chip ’ s public art installations, as seen with this article, reflect the love and appreciation he has of the rich history and culture of the Navajo people back to the Navajo people. Learning about the inequalities and the structural barriers allows the clinician the understanding and empathy needed to build trust and provide compe- tent care. Acknowledgement of past atrocities is a difficult topic to speak of; however, is a critical step in building back trust. Trust must be built to estab- lish the bonds needed for medical care and especially for clinical trials. With 574 federally recognized tribes in the United States, each with separate agreements with the US government, there ’ s a lot of work to be done. Each tribal council is concerned about the safety and well - being of it ’ s community. Dr. Begay and the HEAL Initiative are on the front line of bringing about the change necessary to bring about health equity. provide regular prenatal care and many Native people lack transportation in order to access this care, which all contribute to high maternal death and morbidity rates. In addition, there are only nine IHS health care facilities in six states that have a labor and delivery program.
View Chip ’ s work at -
Jetsonorama.net
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