Passing the torch: Dr. Eraka Bath reflects on her mother’s lasting legacy

In February, we decided to launch our first-ever Black Health & Wellness Pioneers series in honor of Black History Month. The series was an informative and provoking journey through time that recognized and celebrated the invaluable contributions of Black women in the field of health and wellness. The series delved into the stories and achievements of outstanding Black figures who’ve made significant advances in medicine, health care, physical fitness, mental health and holistic well-being. We decided to start out a series with the famous ophthalmologist, Dr. Patricia Bath.

Bath was a black ophthalmologist and a pioneer in her field. In 1974, she became the first woman ophthalmologist to be appointed to the faculty of the Jules Stein Eye Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine. In 1983, she became the first woman to chair an ophthalmology residency program in the United States. In 1986, she discovered and invented a brand new cataract surgery device and technique often known as laserphaco. In addition to being a pioneer in the medical field, she was also a gift and loving mother to her only daughter, Dr. Eraka P. Bath, who followed in her mother’s footsteps into the health care industry, becoming a renowned professor and psychiatrist. Dr. Bath has a long-standing interest in community mental health and has dedicated her profession to advancing health equity for ethnic, minority and structurally marginalized youth and families, with a specific focus on youth impacted by the foster care and juvenile legal systems. She has dedicated her time to working with structurally vulnerable populations and recurrently consults with the court system.

Recently, Dr. Patricia Bath was posthumously inducted into the service National Women’s Hall of Famewhich is a testament not only to her achievements, but in addition to the lasting impact she had on future generations, particularly her daughter, Dr. Eraka Bath, who accepted the honor on her mother’s behalf.

“The Class of 2024 Inductees are scientists, activists, performers and athletes who are changemakers today and inspirations for the women of tomorrow,” said Jennifer Gabriel, CEO of the National Women’s Hall of Fame. “Their dedication, drive and talent brought them here and we are thrilled to honor them on a national stage. This move will reinforce the achievements of inductees and help strengthen and increase gender equality across the country.”

Each candidate was nominated by the public and vetted by an independent selection committee composed of experts from various fields. The Inductee Class of 2024 has broken barriers, challenged the established order and made history.

We recently caught up with Dr. Bath to debate her mother’s legacy and impact on medicine and their intimate relationship.

BEING: What did your mother mean to you? Can you tell us about your relationship?

Dr. Erika Bath: I grew up as an only child with a single mom, so it was almost like she and I were against the world. Given that I’m a single mother, I actually have turn out to be more aware of the importance of this dyadic relationship. The bond, connection and responsibility is amazing. My mother was very much a mother lion and mother bear in how she raised me, cared for me, and provided me with access to numerous activities and opportunities; was very intentional. Even though she was a busy surgeon, she all the time cooked delicious meals from scratch.

How has her legacy impacted you personally as her daughter?

In many respects, comparable to the alternative of a medical profession, it just isn’t accidental. My mother never said I needed to turn out to be a physician, but exposure to service as a lifestyle helped me understand what was essential. I actually have all the time realized how necessary it’s to present back; that was one in all the values ​​she passed on to me.

Outside of your day job, how do you proceed and honor your mother’s legacy?

I’m more focused on creating joy. My mom liked to be in her community and have a good time, so I’m beginning to make that more of a priority because there’s a number of grind culture in medicine and our American culture, after which I believe the type of pressure that black women need to get things right and do the whole lot to survive, and sometimes it happens at our expense and we want to rest. My mother loved nature, beekeeping and art. So all of those elements are unrelated to being a physician, regardless that that was her most important identity. She was so creative.

How do you support STEM work?

My appointment at the University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Psychiatry, focuses on eliminating health inequities, which is multi-faceted and in addition includes desirous about workforce development. We are working on how you can make the staff as inclusive as possible and we’re working on structures that may make them more welcoming and inclusive, from the research questions we ask to the way we design research protocols. I watched my mother mentor multiple generations of physicians, women, blacks, Latinos, and Asians, lifting themselves up as they climbed.

You and your loved ones are thrilled that she was recently inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. So what did this moment mean to you?

It was really special. It’s great to present people flowers. I’m very glad that she might be called, even when it should be posthumous. We are grateful on your recognition. My mother was type of hidden in plain sight. I appreciate the opportunity to raise her legacy. There is a saying: “For it to be it, you have to see it.” People must see that it is feasible.

Share your efforts to preserve your mother’s legacy and encourage future generations of ladies.

I’m blessed and grateful to produce other champions because as an only child I could not do it on my very own. I’m very committed to doing as much as possible, but I actually have close friends of my mother who want her to get flowers. Whether it’s her lineal sisters from Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority Incorporated, a lot of whom are still alive, there are such a lot of individuals who support us because they realize the importance of ladies’s representation. So a lot of our stories go untold.

What is one word to explain your mother’s ghost?

Bold.