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Photo: Dianne Langford James, Black Excellence
Crista Johnson-Agbakwu, MD, MS, FACOG, professor of obstetrics & gynecology and founding director of the UMass Chan Medical School Collaborative in Health Equity, received the Worcester Black Excellence Award for Community Leadership on Oct. 2.
The second annual Honoring Black Excellence Celebration recognized Black leaders in Worcester who are making meaningful contributions to their communities and creating opportunities for future generations. Alongside Dr. Johnson-Agbakwu, this year’s honorees were Sean M. Harris, director of community engagement at Quinsigamond Community College, and Deputy Fire Chief William Mosley of the Worcester Fire Department.
Johnson-Agbakwu was recognized for her leadership in advancing health equity and addressing disparities in healthcare in the Worcester community.
“Receiving the Black Excellence Award for Community Leadership is an incredibly humbling honor, and one that reaffirms my ‘why’ as to why I pursued a career in medicine, and particularly academic medicine,” Johnson-Agbakwu said. “It also deepens my commitment to advancing health equity.”
Through the Collaborative in Health Equity, Johnson-Agbakwu works with colleagues, community partners, learners and leaders to address inequities experienced by marginalized and underserved populations. She emphasized that the work is a collective effort.
“If we can address the inequities experienced by those most marginalized and underserved, we can improve care for all,” she said.
Johnson-Agbakwu also reflected on the importance of mentorship and pathway programs in creating successful outcomes and addressing the underrepresentation of historically marginalized groups in medicine.
While earning her bachelor’s degree at Johns Hopkins University, Johnson-Agbakwu experienced a career defining moment during a conversation with her mentor, Claudia Thomas, MD, the first Black female orthopedic surgeon in the United States.
In a special tribute during the awards ceremony, organizers surprised her with a video message from Dr. Thomas, bringing her mentor’s longstanding influence full circle.
Many of Johnson-Agbakwu’s colleagues, students, faculty members and other guests joined her at the ceremony to celebrate the recognition and show their support for her continued work advancing health equity.
“I stand on the shoulders of a legacy of giants who came before us,” Johnson-Agbakwu said. “I humbly recognize my responsibility to carry that legacy forward and to inspire the next generation of clinicians, scholars, educators, leaders and advocates who will take up the baton and carry it much farther than we ever could.”
The recognition comes as Johnson-Agbakwu continues to advance health equity through research, education, clinical care and community engagement at UMass Chan.
