Racism breeds a level of insecurity and fear that can be disabling... My decision to attend @harvardmed, @Kennedy_School, @YalePsych etc. is in part to shore up these insecurities... maybe they won't kill me if I have X mentality... Nah, they'll definitely still kill you. 1/

No matter how many Patagonias you have or degrees or what your pedigree is. You are still at risk. This is America. 2/

You are always at risk, even if you wrap yourself in the armor that Harvard, Yale, McKinsey, Goldman provides, "they" will still find you, "it" will still take bits and pieces of you day in and day out 3/

It is hard to explain this fear. To be fair, it is what pushed me on this path. This quest for knowledge and power. Multiple Ivy League degrees, residency, fellowships, surely elite positions coming in the future. Fear that if I did have this pedigree I would be in danger 4/

That somehow if I didn't have these things my life would be invalidated... Well my life is still invalidated. There is no escape. However, through absolute power comes the agency to protect yourself, no matter how marginal the benefit is 5/

I am always wearing a Patagonia with Harvard and Yale... My life has depended on it. There have been times when I've been pulled over and the crest has come through for me... I only speak what I know of #medtwitter

Its hard to explain these concepts in public, hopefully, it brings some clarity to the complexity and outright fear of many Black people throughout the world.