"Ph.Ds Plowing the Cotton Fields: Lessons Learned"

2003: Kay Johnson-Graham
As a child, Kay Johnson-Graham spent summers with her father's family in North Carolina. While there, she learned much about her family's commitment to education, both from her great-grandmother, the daughter of a slave who taught herself and others to read, and from her father, who realized his love of service and learning by becoming a professor. In her family, dreams were not allowed to die simply because there were obstacles in the way—and she dreamt of being a doctor. Somewhere along the way, she discovered her love of research—the forefront of medicine. Rather than let her dream die, she allowed it to grow and change. Currently, she focuses on educating at-risk populations and providing support for minority to pursue research and other health professions. Hear her story of perseverance and inspiration.