Maya Gwynn
With KVCR Public Media, I'm Maya Gwynn with Black Perspectives IE, a show where we learn about the amazing things members the black community are doing in the Inland Empire. My guest today is Akunna Chilaka, a UCR School of Medicine Administrative Fellow and former Randall Lewis Health Policy Fellow. Thank you so much for being here.
Akunna Chilaka
Of course. Thank you so much for inviting me.
Maya Gwynn
A couple weeks ago, I saw you on a panel for a call to action for community health, and I immediately wanted to talk to you. So I appreciate you being here. So, let's start at the beginning. What inspired you to focus your fellowship on issues that directly affect the community, like health and public policy?
Akunna Chilaka
So you know, I've been local to the Inland Empire essentially my whole life, since I was 10 years old, and being here and having my family and loved ones in this area, I've really seen how there's a lot of disparities in certain key outcomes for well being, such as health and health care, and I find that it's really important that our communities, specifically marginalized communities, get those better health outcomes. But for me, coming from a family with a lot of clinical health professionals - My mom's a nurse, my sister is a resident, my dad was a psychiatric technician...
Maya Gwynn
Very common for Nigerians.
Akunna Chilaka
What are the most pressing healthcare access challenges facing black communities in the Inland Empire?
Akunna Chilaka
Yes. So seeing that and knowing myself, I wasn't really into blood, so I was like, Okay, how am I going to have an impact in healthcare without really being that clinical doctor person? So with that, I really looked into opportunities academically and professionally that would highlight public policy and public health and really uplift community engagement, because I find so often our communities just aren't really seen and heard. Getting that opportunity to get my Master's in Public Policy at UC Irvine, with a focus in health policy. That was essentially one key step to get me to that fellowship with IEHP and currently with UCR School of Medicine. Because with those opportunities, you had to have a Master's to even be in that space. So I was really grateful to have those opportunities and seeing them online, applying, talking with those people in those positions of power, and really just speaking my mind and being very authentic about what I see and what I want and what I hope to achieve in my career, currently and beyond. And hopefully that continues, because I feel like our region, there's a lot that needs to be done.
Akunna Chilaka
Currently at UCR School of Medicine, there's a lot of emphasis on getting a lot of PCPs. There's a shortage of physicians, primary care providers for a lot of marginalized communities, and that includes black Californians, black Americans in the Inland Empire, we often find ourselves having to drive very far to get appointments. That's not really conducive long term, we should have people local to really meet those needs for our communities. And I find that with a lot of opportunities at UCR, IEHP, they really uplift having scholars that stay local to the Inland Empire.
Maya Gwynn
What role do you feel partnerships between healthcare institutions and grassroot organizations play in creating sustainable change?
Akunna Chilaka
Of course, I think having those collaborations is crucial to ensure that people with those lived experiences and their voices are being heard. Because I find if you have that grassroots perspective with those professional stakeholders, who's at the table, who has the experience with legislation and speaking in those spaces, you're able to really facilitate crucial, beneficial change. Because I find that a lot of times when you just have, I guess, two of them in their own separate silos, you kind of miss the point of getting that true perspective of what we are facing, people with those experiences with inequitable health care and just overall disparities.
Maya Gwynn
I've seen what some of your research areas are, and I saw that one of it is in AI and healthcare, and I know AI, for a lot of reasons, is controversial, but I wanted to know what are some ways that you can see it being potentially helpful in health.
Akunna Chilaka
There's definitely controversy about it because, you know, a lot of communities of color are a little wary of AI because of its notorious history of being biased and discriminatory towards marginalized communities, people of color, black people, et cetera. But I find that with the research I've done at my fellowships, internships and even during my Masters, there is a potential good that AI can serve. For instance, really alleviating clinician burnout, making sure that certain administrative tasks that often can be given to the clinicians due to staff shortages, can be alleviated with scribing and making appointments. But even with those positives, sometimes you still have to be mindful of those potential negatives and really tread lightly when you're using AI in healthcare operations. It's definitely a tool that's gonna stay but we just have to learn how to use it right, and make sure that people who are using it are using it for good.
Maya Gwynn
Yeah, and one of - I don't think she'll mind me sharing - but my aunt, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, but because of AI, it was found even before stage one.
Akunna Chilaka
Yes, yes. That's one thing that AI really can benefit from, like, really just trying to point out or call out those symptoms and diagnoses earlier, rather than a manual diagnosis.
Maya Gwynn
You've also emphasized in your research systemic change through public health policy. What specific policy shifts would you like to see at a local level or state level to advance equity? And I know that's a huge question.
Akunna Chilaka
Yeah, I think at least for me, with the research I've done on maternal health and maternal health disparities and maternal outcomes, I think one thing that I would love to see at the local level, especially for the Inland Empire, is just advancements in maternal health. With the help of community health workers like doulas, I find that maternal health outcomes in the Inland Empire disproportionately impact black mothers, black birthing people negatively with certain negative maternal mortality ratios, infant mortality. It's really bad honestly. And having that help with those community health workers that have a more community lens, like they're able to understand the community and just be there for those people who are really impacted by those negative outcomes is really important to make people feel more trust.
Maya Gwynn
And not having a bias.
Akunna Chilaka
Yes, trusted messengers essentially. I find that community health workers like doulas can play that crucial role.
Maya Gwynn
And what you were talking about earlier with medical practitioners, I think, I forgot the statistic, but a black baby is more likely to survive if they have a black doctor?
Akunna Chilaka
Yes, three to four times more likely I believe yes.
Maya Gwynn
So we're gonna move to our rapid fire portion. Just the first thing that popped into your head. If your work had a theme song, what would it be?
Akunna Chilaka
I just thought about High School Musical. We're All in this Together.
Maya Gwynn
Oh, my goodness, yeah. I sang that on karaoke, and the words went away and I was still okay. If you had to teach a master class or give a TED Talk on a random skill you have, besides healthcare, public policy, what would it be?
Akunna Chilaka
Being a foodie. I love food.
Maya Gwynn
Perfectly transitions to my next question. What's your favorite IE restaurant?
Akunna Chilaka
Burger Town USA is really good. It's really good. And then, it's not local to the IE, but it's Luna Grill. There's one in Rancho and Redlands. It's so good. Mediterranean food is one of my favorite cuisines.
Maya Gwynn
It's very fresh and very good. And how can people keep up with you and support your work?
Akunna Chilaka
Thank you. I would say being on LinkedIn is important. I'm really trying to make an impact in public health and public policy throughout Southern California with an emphasis on the Inland Empire. So I'm pretty active on my LinkedIn, so if you're able to just search up my name, Akunna Jeanette Chilaka - if you just search that on LinkedIn, you can just follow me or connect with me, and I'll love to have any more conversations.
Maya Gwynn
Thank you so much for being here.
Akunna Chilaka
Of course, thank you so much.
Maya Gwynn
It's a great conversation. Akunna Chilaka is the UCR School of Medicine Administrative Fellow. Find this segment and others at kvcr news.org/bpie. Support for this segment comes from the Black Equity Fund at IECF, advancing racial equity and supporting long term investments in black led organizations in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Join us again next week for Black Perspectives IE. For KVCR Public Media, I'm Maya Gwynn. Thank you.
