CityDoc and the Dream

Let me introduce myself. My name is Brenna Nance, MD, and I am one of the principal owners of CityDoc Urgent Care Centers in Dallas-Fort Worth. I am an African American woman born in 1966 in Mobile, Alabama. My great grandparents died when I was 20, and they clearly remembered their grandparents, who were slaves from Ghana and Nigeria. Thanks to various opportunities, in 7 generations, my family was able to rise from slaves to contractors, educators, and health professionals. However, the road has not been easy. My parents were raised in the segregated South, and would have struggled to obtain an education had it not been for the founding of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).   I was 15 when my father served on the team of civic leaders and educators who orchestrated the desegregation of the St. Louis, Missouri public schools in the late 1970s and early 1980s. I remember being shocked that, more than a decade after the height of the civil rights movement, racial segregation still existed in so many cities in the United States, and overcoming it was still such a struggle. Mothers of African American sons will describe conversations that we have with our young sons about interactions with law enforcement officials. We warn them about the very real possibility that a routine traffic stop could result in their death, to always keep their hands where they can be seen, and not to get into verbal confrontations. The fact that these conversations are still necessary shows that the fight for civil rights is still ongoing. My business, CityDoc, is part of a rich and diverse community, in terms of ownership, staff, and the people we care for. I am struck by the support of the people. During the Coronavirus pandemic, CityDoc have seen an outpouring of encouragement from the community. CityDoc has remained open and ready to serve during the pandemic and during the protests. We have enjoyed the support of our patrons, both those who knew that the business is minority-owned, and those who did not. I am grateful for the communities that have welcomed CityDoc and sought out our expertise and have chosen CityDoc as their preferred health care provider.   I hope that Americans will continue to protest injustice and support minority-owned businesses. As a mother of four children, I embrace Martin Luther King’s dream:

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their, skin but by the content of their character.” 

  I unity with the amazing black business owners of our community, we wanted to share some local black-owned businesses.