In this special Juneteenth episode of Do Tell Belle, Belle travels to Little Rock, Arkansas for a powerful conversation with Surgeon General Dr. M. Joycelyn Elders, the 15th Surgeon General of the United States and the first Black person to hold the position. What begins as a conversation about Dr. Elders’ life and legacy becomes something much deeper. Across several conversations, Belle sits with Surgeon General Dr. M. Joycelyn Elders, Oliver “Coach” Elders, Chrishaunda Lee Perez, one of Dr. Elders’ former students, and Prof. Dr. Kimberlé W. Crenshaw for a moving reflection on history, womanhood, education, public health, love, ancestry, and the responsibility of carrying stories forward. From Dr. Elders’ Arkansas roots and her mother’s belief in education, to her groundbreaking work in public health, to Coach’s unforgettable love story, this episode honors the voices, choices, and lived experiences that make freedom more than a date on the calendar.

Juneteenth is not only a date. It is memory. It is truth. It is education. It is love.

And it is the courage to keep telling the story.

Featuring: Surgeon General Dr. M. Joycelyn Elders Oliver “Coach” Elders Chrishaunda Lee Perez Dr. Elders’ former student Prof. Dr. Kimberlé W. Crenshaw Learn more: Dr. Joycelyn Elders via the National Library of Medicine https://circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov/2015/08... Prof. Dr. Kimberlé W. Crenshaw https://kimberlecrenshaw.com/ Chrishaunda Lee Perez https://www.chrishaundaleeperez.com/