My OD Looks Like Me

A practicing optometrist in Houston Texas, Dr. Shaynora Brown found a location so different from the one she used to know. Dr. Brown is a native of The Bahamas who moved to the United States in 2010 to pursue tertiary level education. She completed both undergraduate and doctorate degrees at the University of Houston and grew to love the city. She soon found that in this new profession which she loved, there weren’t many people who shared her racial identity. As she served patients and saw the nature of healthcare and its lack of diversity, it inspired her in writing her first book "My OD Looks Like Me". Her experience with patients of color acknowledged this lack of diversity and so it became her mission to change this narrative. It is so important for everyone to see themselves in someone who is there to help. The sigh of relief she saw when entering a room with someone who could be her brother, sister, mother, or father is one that couldn’t be ignored. Her hope is through introducing this story she inspires and encourages Black children everywhere to be brave in exploring spaces that may not show us in numbers. To be courageous and to embrace new experiences.