05/16/2026
This is what a PhD looks like.
My mother, the late Dr. Sandra Faye Urquhart Brown, earned her PhD from the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor in 1985, during a time when Black women represented only a very small percentage of doctoral degree recipients in the United States. And I was there - standing with my maternal grandparents, my father, my aunts, and uncles - watching and applauding her cross that stage.
I saw the sacrifice.
I saw the discipline.
I saw the long nights.
I saw the blood, sweat, tears, and commitment it took to earn those letters behind her name.
That’s why I will always respect people who truly earn the responsibility that comes with professional titles and advanced degrees.
Because beyond the letters behind someone’s name are real people seeking guidance, expertise, treatment, safety, and truth.
As a psychiatrist, I understand that human behavior can be complex. But regardless of the reason, misrepresenting professional credentials in spaces where people are vulnerable can have real consequences.
Public trust matters.
Professional integrity matters.
Truth matters.
So today, I honor every person who truly sacrificed, studied, struggled, survived exhaustion, and EARNED their advanced degree with integrity.
Especially her. ❤️
Because just like my mother inspired me, you never know what little girl, little boy, or future professional is watching you and believing what they see.
That’s why living in your truth matters.
