About this project
The Inspiration
In December of 2010 I was introduced to two amazing women: Doris Wethers, one of the first black women to attend Yale Medical School, and Beatrix Hamburg, the first woman to graduate from Yale Medical School. These experiences planted the seed of conception for Present and Unaccounted For: Black Women in Medicine.
This documentary does more than just relate their stories. This documentary will inspire and motivate. It will appeal to both young people and adults, and gain their belief that they can achieve the impossible, even in the midst of seemingly insurmountable odds. The stories of these women will remind us that the greatest power to achieve and change our world lies within each one of us.
What We Are Doing
Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, Dr. Muriel Petioni, Dr. Jennifer Ellis, Dr. Claudia Thomas -- what do these four women have in common? They were all once young women without an idea of how to live out their lives. The choices they made led them to become doctors whose lives are inspirational stories of groundbreaking accomplishments in the medical field.
Filming for Present and Unaccounted For: Black Women in Medicine has already begun. We have already interviewed a number of this nation’s most prominent African American female doctors across a number of disciplines. Our video illustrates a portion of the hard work, energy, time and expenses that have already gone into this film.
The major outcome of this film will happen off screen, in the hearts and minds of youth across the globe. We hope to plant the seeds of confidence and solidarity in young people that they too can achieve excellence and success despite obstacles.
Why We Need Your Help
A week after filming started, a substantial pledge of $250k was not honored. Many filmmakers know this dilemma and unfortunately, it has brought our production and filming process to a halt. Every dollar donated through this initiative will go directly to finishing the filming process and to post production costs. A national foundation has agreed to match whatever funds we are able to raise up to the amount of $75,000.
These funds will go towards:
- Filming Dr. Edith Irby Jones in Texas, one of the co-founders of the Association of Black Cardiologists.
- Filming of a unique family of three daughters who followed in their father’s footsteps to become doctors in Atlanta.
- Filming of the first African American women to become Dean of a Medical School in New York, first African American woman Surgeons General in Arkansas and first African American woman Neurosurgeon.
- Cost of editing and post-production.
Please note that all donations are tax deductible.
FAQ
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Our list of confirmed participants in the film include:
• Dr. Regina Benjamin, Current Surgeon General of the United States.
• Fannie Braboy, graduate of Yale Divinity School and aspiring medical student.
• Dr. Alexa Canady, first Black woman neurosurgeon in the US.
• Dr. Benjamin Carson, Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.
• Dr. Jordan Cohen, President emeritus, Association of American Medical Colleges and Professor.
• Dr. Lisa Cooper, Professor and Director of the Hopkins Center to Eliminate Cardiovascular Disparities and MacArthur Genius Award recipient.
• Dr. Joycelyn Elders, first Black woman Surgeon General.
• Dr. Jennifer Ellis, Cardiothoracic surgeon at Washington Hospital Center.
• Elena Gore, Current Medical Student
• Dr. Lynne Holden, Emergency Care Physician in New York City.
• Dr. Marilyn Hughes Gaston, the first Black woman to direct a Public Health Service Bureau.
• Dr. Camara Jones, Research Director on Social Determinants of Health and Equity in the Division of Adult and Community Health at the CDC.
• Dr. Camille Jones, Assistant Health Commissioner for the City of Cincinnati.
• Dr. Clara Jones, Tufts University faculty and clinician.
• Dr. Edith Irby Jones, founder of the Association of Black Cardiologists and the first Black to graduate from medical school in Arkansas.
• Dr. Thomas Laveist, Professor and Director, Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions.
• Dr. Barbara Ross Lee, first African American woman to be appointed dean of an American Medical School.
• Dr. Aletha Maybank, Assistant Commissioner at NYC Department of Health.
• “Mentoring in Medicine” Project based out of New York.
• Dr. Karen Morris-Priester, mother of five and grandmother who was admitted to Yale Medical School in 2007 at 40 years of age.
• Dr. Muriel Petioni, 97 year old Harlem and founder of the Women’s Luncheon within the NMA.
• Dr. Velma Scantlebury, first Black woman transplant surgeon in the US.
• Dr. Carol Scott, emergency care physician.
• Summer Medical and Dental Education Program at Yale University.
• Dr. Claudia Thomas, first Black woman orthopedic surgeon.
• Dr. Doris Louise Wethers, one of the first black women to graduate from Yale Medical School and pioneer in sickle cell research. -
So far, we have filmed 11 phenomenal women and are looking forward to interviewing the rest of these amazing medical pioneers.
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So far we have received support and promises from a number of foundations including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Ford Foundation, and Kellogg. We have also had some individual donations that have been a great help.
Some of these foundations have given us grants to see us through the finishing phases of our project HOWEVER we need to finish producing it first. This is where you all come in.
We are thankful to all of our supporters, including each of you!
Have a question? If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.
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Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on August 7, 2011.
Pledge $1 or more Pledge $1 or more
A heartfelt thank you from the Director, Crystal Emery.
Pledge $10 or more Pledge $10 or more
A heartfelt thank you from the Director, Crystal Emery, PLUS an exclusive postcard of artwork from the film.
Pledge $25 or more Pledge $25 or more
A heartfelt thank you; an exclusive postcard of artwork from the film; PLUS an autographed cookbook from Director, Crystal Emery featuring funny stories and recipes about how to feed a film crew for under $100.
Pledge $50 or more Pledge $50 or more
A heartfelt thank you; an exclusive postcard of artwork from the film; an autographed cookbook from Director, Crystal Emery featuring funny stories and recipes about how to feed a film crew for under $100; PLUS a copy of the bestselling book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, a story about the most important yet unsung woman in Western medicine.
Pledge $100 or more Pledge $100 or more
A heartfelt thank you; an exclusive postcard of artwork from the film; an autographed cookbook from Director, Crystal Emery featuring funny stories and recipes about how to feed a film crew for under $100; a copy of the bestselling book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, a story about the most important yet unsung woman in Western medicine; PLUS a “Present and Unaccounted For: Black Women in Medicine” Calendar featuring images of the doctors in the film and their inspirational quotes.
Pledge $500 or more Pledge $500 or more
A heartfelt thank you; an exclusive postcard of artwork from the film; an autographed cookbook from Director, Crystal Emery featuring funny stories and recipes about how to feed a film crew for under $100; a copy of the bestselling book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, a story about the most important yet unsung woman in Western medicine; a “Present and Unaccounted For: Black Women in Medicine” Calendar featuring images of the doctors in the film and their inspirational quotes, PLUS an "I'm Present" T-shirt along with a copy of the completed DVD of “Present and Unaccounted For: Black Women in Medicine.”
Pledge $1,000 or more Pledge $1,000 or more
A heartfelt thank you; an exclusive postcard of artwork from the film; an autographed cookbook from Director, Crystal Emery featuring funny stories and recipes about how to feed a film crew for under $100; a copy of the bestselling book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, a story about the most important yet unsung woman in Western medicine; a “Present and Unaccounted For: Black Women in Medicine” Calendar featuring images of the doctors in the film and their inspirational quotes; an "I'm Present" T-shirt along with a copy of the completed DVD of “Present and Unaccounted For: Black Women in Medicine”; PLUS an “I Am Present and Unaccounted For” one of a kind medallion.
Pledge $2,000 or more Pledge $2,000 or more
A heartfelt thank you; an exclusive postcard of artwork from the film; an autographed cookbook from Director, Crystal Emery featuring funny stories and recipes about how to feed a film crew for under $100; a copy of the bestselling book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, a story about the most important yet unsung woman in Western medicine; a “Present and Unaccounted For: Black Women in Medicine” Calendar featuring images of the doctors in the film and their inspirational quotes; an "I'm Present" T-shirt; an “I Am Present and Unaccounted For” one of a kind medallion; PLUS a Film credit as an "Angel" along with a DVD copy of the completed film with special limited edition outtakes.
Pledge $5,000 or more Pledge $5,000 or more
A heartfelt thank you; an exclusive postcard of artwork from the film; an autographed cookbook from Director, Crystal Emery featuring funny stories and recipes about how to feed a film crew for under $100; a copy of the bestselling book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, a story about the most important yet unsung woman in Western medicine; a “Present and Unaccounted For: Black Women in Medicine” Calendar featuring images of the doctors in the film and their inspirational quotes; an "I'm Present" T-shirt; an “I Am Present and Unaccounted For” one of a kind medallion; a Film credit as an "Angel" along with a DVD copy of the completed film with special limited edition outtakes; PLUS an autographed coffee table book signed by the participants and the Director of the film.
Pledge $10,000 or more Pledge $10,000 or more
A heartfelt thank you; an exclusive postcard of artwork from the film; an autographed cookbook from Director, Crystal Emery featuring funny stories and recipes about how to feed a film crew for under $100; a copy of the bestselling book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, a story about the most important yet unsung woman in Western medicine; a “Present and Unaccounted For: Black Women in Medicine” Calendar featuring images of the doctors in the film and their inspirational quotes; an "I'm Present" T-shirt; an “I Am Present and Unaccounted For” one of a kind medallion; a DVD copy of the completed film with special limited edition outtakes; an autographed coffee table book signed by the participant and the Director of the film; PLUS a film credit as an "Associate Producer", along with and an invitation to attend the premiere of the film in Spring 2012.
Project By
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Crystal Emery, the Producer/Director of this film, is also the Executive Director of the 501c(3) organization, URU, The Right to Be, Inc (URU), an education through the arts company whose goal is to develop artistic projects with two purposes in mind: to uplift and encourage positive perspectives of ethnic groups, women and persons with disabilities; and to heighten consciousness around ideas and social issues affecting the community.
In addition to being a filmmaker, Crystal is a published author of the children’s book series, Little Man. Crystal is a parent, a wife and a graduate student in Media Studies. Present and Unaccounted For: Black Women in Medicine is her second feature length documentary film.
Who knows what image, what words, what experiences can cause a child to be inspired to seek after their dream? For me, it happened when I was 7 years old and I watched For Love of Ivy by Sidney Poitier. This film not only inspired me to want to be a filmmaker but it started me on a journey that lead to working under some of the most talented people in film. I have been blessed to travel the world despite a debilitating form of muscular dystrophy and blessed to producing and directing my second feature length documentary film, Present and Unaccounted For: Black Women in Medicine.
Watching that film when I was seven planted the seed that grew me into the person I am today. Present and Unaccounted For: Black Women in Medicine is a documentary film that has this same power. The women, the images, the words, the stories—this film has the power to change the lives of countless youth who need a voice and a vision to help them see how bright their own futures are.
I acknowledge the vision for this film came from God. I had no plans of making a film like this. It was not on my radar. However, I am blessed and thankful to have the honor of telling these stories and inspiring a new generation of doctors.
