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Tamika Smith

@tamikad_smith

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Speaker | Author
Challenging Medical Gaslighting
Expert Advocate
Seen @tamronhallshow
2026 NAACP Award-Winning Project
Community Amb. @now_included

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“Each one. Teach one.” A powerful quote from Tamika Smith, and our motto for yesterday’s evening.

Last night’s endometriosis panel was filled with connection and powerful storytelling. From sharing personal journeys to discussing the realities of diagnosis and care, every voice in the room mattered—and every story made an impact.

Moments like this remind us how important it is to keep learning, keep sharing, and keep advocating. Because when one of us is empowered with knowledge, we all are.

The conversation doesn’t stop here. 💛

#EndometriosisAwareness #EachOneTeachOne #WomensHealthMatters #HealthEquity #endometriosisawarenessmonth🎗 by @tamikad_smith

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4 months ago

“But I fought…” Tamika Smith @tamikad_smith on our Season 3 Premier Episode “Your Lupus, Your Voice: Self-Advocacy”. She shared her experience with medical gaslighting and how she made sure she got the care she deserved.

Check out our full episode and past ones at www.bettertogetherlupus.com and don’t miss our next episode on Tuesday, Oct 22nd @ 6:30pm EST.
Join us LIVE: https://www.facebook.com/BlackDoctor.org/live

#BetterTogether #advocacy #doctors #health
#lupus #lupuswarrior #work #workingwithchronicillness #worklifebalance #lupusstrong #lupusnephritis #lupusawareness #autoimmunedisease #chronicpain #invisibleillness #sle #lupusnephritis #autoimmune #lupusfighter #lupussucks #lupusflare #rheumatoidarthritis #arthritis #lupuslife #lupusproblems #butyoudontlooksick #LupusTaughtMe by @tamikad_smith

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2 years ago

“The eyes tell a story more powerful than the tongue!” I am still healing from the effects of being medically gaslit and it’s been five years since my diagnosis.

#TamronHallShow #MedicalGaslighting #WomensHealthMonth #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #Trending #Explorepage #Viral #Doctors #TamFam #Gynecologist #BlackWomensHealth #Healthcare #Disparities #Racism #Journalists #Writers #Editors #NewsReporters by @tamikad_smith

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2 years ago

My mom and I had a TOUGH conversation yesterday about her health and exactly what she wants me to do to keep her legacy alive. But truthfully, it wasn’t really about her. It was about how she wants me to LIVE.

As much as I wanted to tune her out, I didn’t.

I listened.

I wrote down every single word she said, and I’m keeping those words close to my heart.

In honor of #BlackFamilyMonth, I’m reminded that these are the conversations we need to be having around our tables. The hard conversations. The uncomfortable conversations. The legacy conversations. The “if something happens to me” conversations.

None of us likes to think about them, but they matter. They prepare us. They strengthen our families.

Don’t wait until it’s too late to have the conversations that matter most. Those conversations may become the very ones that shape the rest of your life. 🤍

#NOWINCLUDED by @tamikad_smith

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Though I get tired, He restores my strength. I may pause, but quitting is not an option. Even on the days I feel like I have nothing left, my community reminds me of my why. 🥹💜

👉🏾 Let’s stay connected and informed
https://bvgls.share.hsforms.com/2ueb6WVL2T46J4U5RuT4xtA by @tamikad_smith

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3 days ago

Soon, I’ll share more about what this process has looked like. It’s actually been going on for almost four months.

Right now, I’m at the Document Integrity stage, which includes requesting a formal amendment to my mom’s medical records.

But why should patients and families even have to deal with this? WHY? 😩😔 This is exactly why I’m so passionate about my role as an Expert Patient Advocate, Community Ambassador for #NOWINCLUDED and why I continue to bring awareness to these issues on my platform.

Sometimes I question my content and wonder if it’s making a difference. Then moments like this remind me why I keep showing up. If sharing my experiences helps even one person become a stronger advocate for themselves or a loved one, then it’s worth it. 💜

✨ AND this is exactly WHY Lived Experience Experts and Patient Advocates need to be in those rooms and on those panels, using their voices to share the experiences that are too often overlooked.

#chronicdiseasemonth #documentintegrity #minoritymentalhealthmonth #patientadvocacystory by @tamikad_smith

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3 days ago

The Tough Conversations About Chronic Disease That Aren’t Talked About Enough: Part 3

🎥Instagram LIVE Replay (a clip) from 2025 @teetalksthepodcast

#chronicdiseaseawarenessmonth #minoritymentalhealth #lupus by @tamikad_smith

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3 days ago

The Tough Conversations About Chronic Disease That Aren't Talked About Enough: Part 2

🎥Instagram LIVE Replay (a clip) @teetalksthepodcast

#chronicdiseaseawarenessmonth #minoritymentalhealth by @tamikad_smith

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4 days ago

🚨🚨🚨 by @tamikad_smith

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4 days ago

The Tough Conversations About Chronic Disease That Aren't Talked About Enough: Part 1

🎥Instagram LIVE Replay (a clip) @teetalksthepodcast

#chronicdiseaseawareness #lupus #healthequity #minoritymentalhealthmonth #healthcaredisparities by @tamikad_smith

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5 days ago

The New Orleans Department of Health recently conducted a Community Health Survey, inviting New Orleanians to share what’s impacting health in our city.

Fourteen major themes emerged from the responses, including chronic disease, healthcare access, educational access, substance abuse, and access to resources and services.

Reading those findings immediately took me back to the National Medical Association Women’s Health & Wellness Brunch during ESSENCE Festival weekend. These very topics were discussed, but what stood out most was that the conversation didn’t stop at the problems. Leaders, physicians, advocates, and community partners were also focused on solutions.

Living with the chronic disease Lupus, especially as a black woman, has given me firsthand insight into the barriers many people face when accessing healthcare and resources. As a Lived Experience Expert, speaker, former investigator for the Juvenile Court system, and Community Ambassador for #NOWINCLUDED powered by Acclinate, I understand firsthand how barriers to healthcare and access to resources can impact individuals, families, and entire communities.

I was truly honored to be in the room, surrounded by so many incredible leaders, physicians, and changemakers who are committed to improving health outcomes and advancing health equity.

Real change happens when we bring lived experience, community voices, and healthcare leaders into the same room and around the same table. That’s how we move from conversations to action.

I’m grateful to be a part of the change. 💜

Please see the comments as Dr. Alisha Reed goes more in detail about the survey.

#HealthEquity #ChronicDisease #NewOrleansHealthDepartment #CommunityNeeds by @tamikad_smith

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6 days ago

Can we talk about advocacy for a minute? Because there’s so much that people don’t see or understand.

Recently, my mom had an encounter at a healthcare center during an unexpected flare that literally knocked her off her feet. What happened was unacceptable, and I knew I had to step in and advocate for her. That meant requesting medical records, reading through documentation,conducting my own research, learning policies and procedures, and navigating the complaint process. What helped the most was the detailed documentation I been keeping throughout her flare and the records from the multiple specialists she had seen. Every piece of information mattered.

I’ll be honest… there were so many moments when I wanted to give up because the process was exhausting. But I couldn’t… not after everything we’d endured.

This is the side of advocacy that so many don’t see. Honestly , many don’t even know exists until they’re forced into it. Yes it’s one of the most critical parts of protecting yourself and loves one’s.

It’s heartbreaking that patients and caregivers often have to take so many measures to protect themselves. We keep record because of Document Integrity which is happening daily but not talked about enough. Advocacy is so much more than speaking up. It really is.

As a speaker, advocate, caregiver, and someone who has personally experienced medical gaslighting, I look forward to sharing more up-to-date advocacy tips that empower others to navigate the healthcare system with confidence. My hope is that you never need these tools, but if you do, you’ll know how to protect yourself and the people you love. Because the more informed we are, the better equipped we are to advocate.

#patientadvocate #healthequity #advocacyisprotection #chronicdiseaseawareness by @tamikad_smith

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