Closing the Health Literacy Gap with Dr. Madalyn McKnight of Project Healthvocate

Hey, friends. Welcome. And welcome back to noseyAF conversations about art, activism and social change.I'm your host and friend, Stephanie Graham, and it's the 31 days of black Business series, where all month long, we are bringing you a black business owner every single day. And I'm so excited about where this project has taken me because today we are all the way in Mississippi.And what a delight, because Today's guest is Dr. Madalyn McKnight, founder of Project Health. And did you know that nine out of ten people don't understand basic health information? I'm sure you're like, yeah, I'm one of those people.Well, I am, too. And Madalyn whole thing is about closing that gap.She is all about making medical language easy for us to understand so that it sounds like how we talk. Madalyn is also a good data analyst, a podcaster, and the author of Improving Perfection, A Black Girl's Guide to Being Better.So we are going to play this theme song and then we are going to talk to Dr. Madalyn. Welcome to noseyAF. I'm so happy to have you here or to have you back. Okay, let's do it. Gotta get up, get up to the whole world.You a winner, winner, vision of a star with a mission in the cause what you're doing, how you doing, what you're doing and who you are Flex yourself and press yourself Check yourself, don't wreck yourself if you know me then you know that I be knowing what's up. Hey, Stephanie Graham is nosy as Dr. Madalyn. Welcome to nosy AF.

Excited to be here?

Yes, I'm excited for you to be here, too. So you are a data analyst, nonprofit founder, author, podcaster, and entrepreneur, which came first and then how did the others follow?

Being a writer came first. I just published a journal which was inspired by what feels like a lifetime of journaling. So I've been. And I still have journals.They're actually right beside me under this cabinet. But have been journaling since middle school.

Wow.

So I've always had a love for words. Even when I could not confidently speak them, I could confidently write them, you know, because my eyes are the judge, jury, and executioner.So that came first. And literally everything. All the rest of those titles came, they led into the rest of those titles.

Who got you into journaling?

Ooh, Moesha.

Oh, really?

Yes.

Yeah,.

Definitely. I don't know what I found first if it was the show, Moesha, her music, or Cinderella. Okay, either way.

Yeah, either way.

Yeah. I was enamored by Brandi. She Was, you know, not too much older than me. And she had braids, and I always had braids at the time. So I have people.When people say that they see themselves on television or in media, that awakening came through Brandi and Moesha. So she was, you know, writing her journal, laying across her bed at the end of the day. So I started just doing. I started doing the same thing.

I love that because I feel like she really, like, prioritize that.

Oh, yes, yes. And I imagine her voice being as animated. My voice being as animated as her voice when she was narrating, you know, that part of the show.

So I was a Brandy fan as well also. Like, just in her style. Like, it seemed easy, you know, like, it seemed, like, approachable. Like, I could, Like, I could wear it.Like, if I showed my mom picture, she wouldn't be like, absolutely not.

You know, Brandi was safe.

Yeah,.

She was very safe.Like, I know she looks back and she was like, oh, you know, I can only imagine the pressure that she was under to, like, be perfect and be like, you know, little Miss in the box, cookie cutter by the rules. But that was really the aesthetic that our parents expected.

Yeah.

You know, for young black girls. So, you know, that message didn't fall on deaf ears for sure.

Yeah, yeah, definitely. What got you to start project? Is it Healthvocate?

You can say it both ways, because when I started it, I was calling it religiously. Project Healthvocate.

Healthvocate. Okay.

Yeah. And then, you know, my boyfriend was saying, healthecate. And I was like, you know what? I'm a healthecate who helpicates. And so it just. It just stuck.So I have to give him credit for that. But it made a lot of sense because an advocate. Advocate, yeah, yeah, yeah. I use them interchangeably, but I. It started as a project, literally.That's why a project is in the name. Before it evolved into a nonprofit.I developed a project during my time as a member of the Advocacy Institute, hosted by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Okay.

Which, of course, is an organization that does a lot of work here in this region to identify and eradicate issues that plague minorities and those who may be subjected to any racial anything.So they identify hate groups that are active across the country, and they keep a map on their website, and they have other initiatives that do a lot of civic participation and voting efforts and voter education and things like that. So they host an Advocacy Institute.I became involved in 24 because that was an election year, and I wanted to do something, and so I created my project with the help of my mentors and my cohort in that program. And here we are today.

Yeah. That's so awesome. That's so awesome. So, like, the group that you did, everybody else, like, in the cohort, everybody had like a different project?

Yes.

Yeah.

Yes. Some weren't, you know, like full out organizational plans.

Yeah.

Like mine, they were actual, you know, like, projects they wanted to put on in their communities. But yes.Okay, it was a group of us, and we spent the entire summer of 2024 learning how to be advocates, how to engage people, how to show up in our communities and be a voice for the voiceless and help support those who are already doing the work in our communities.

Yeah. What's it like to be a community leader?

It's a full circle experience, you know, because I'm a person who hugs the sidelines. So.

Okay. Holding up the wall at the party.

You know what I'm saying? I'm the one who, you know, if you can imagine people doing double Dutch, I'm the one that's like, you know, looking like I'm gearing up to go,.

But they're like, Madalyn.

Yeah. So, yeah, I'm always, you know, and still, you know, down to help, down to support other causes.It's full circle for me to be on the other side of that and saying, hey, I have these ideas, I've had these experiences, and I want to make my community better as a result of that.

Yeah. Shout out to you for that, you know, because I feel like it's so easy to just, you know, be at the bars.

Right. Really?

Yeah. So, you know, you talk about making health informatics information accessible and culturally relevant.What did you think was missing from health education space that you wanted to address?

One language that reflected where we are.

Yeah.

It's not just. It does include.But it's not just a matter of going into a doctor's office and them saying words that may go over your head, you know, about conditions that you're familiar with. But having, you know, heard it explained like that.But terms that we use now, like language that Gen Xers use, that boomers use, that, you know, us millennials use, that the gen zers use. Not hearing that when relaying information. Like parents and grandparents using the term sugar for diabetes. You know. Yeah, that's.And, you know, it sounds, for some people, it sounds like, oh, you should know that diabetes is diabetes. But there are people.

Yeah.

Walking this earth alongside you who do not call it diabetes.

Yeah.

They call it sugar. So, you know, like those cultural terms and those generational terms are missing from health information.That and language that is elementary, so to speak, that people just can understand it, you know, across the board, across cultures.They may be of a certain educational level and may need it explained in words that are not technical, because it's easy for us to get in, you know, in the terms that we're familiar with, that we can use with other people who are in company and our peers who use those terms as well. But to someone outside of that, that's mumbo jumbo.

Yeah.

It's too technical. I don't know what's going on. And a person can be easily overwhelmed. So that's definitely missing. And it's creating more and more of a divide.

Yeah. Is Project Health for Kit helping, too, with that language at all, or.

Yes. Yes.I created several resources that I have on my website of questions that can be used across the board by either yourself or if you have a guardian or somebody that you trust with information that can communicate for you.

Oh, okay.

That that person can use on your behalf. And I also speak with, on the other side of the table, practitioners.

Yeah.

So that the conversation that's facilitated is easy for everyone to understand.So my hope is that you're able to use the language that you're familiar with and that the provider that you are conversing with is able to understand and then come to your level, because that's important, too.

It's so wild that that stuff isn't, like, already out there, you know, like, if you weren't here, what would the world do. To even think about that?

Yeah. Because, you know, I think I need you to explain it to me.Like, even, you know, now I have a doctorate degree, and I'm saying that, you know, formal education is the only way you can learn, you know, language and vocabulary. But I'll say. Now, wait, wait. Now what? What is that? Like, how do you pronounce that? You know, I may read it, you know, my.My chart or some notes that they've given me. How do you pronounce that? You know, those are. Those are questions that are important.

Yeah, for sure. When you say Project Health, Ficut takes a holistic approach to health. What does that actually mean in practice?

In practice, it's not just receiving the information that you're given and, you know, letting it stay there. It's exploring the foods that we are taking in, the media that we're taking in, the way we move our bodies, how much we move our bodies.It's taking a holistic approach. No matter what the issue is.So even though on the surface I'm being diagnosed with diabetes, that may also, you know, in addition to my physical health, that may also affect my mental health.You know, receiving a diagnosis may trigger, you know, some thoughts, you know, of, you know, maybe failure or regret or guilt, you know, that, you know, you may have known that you were headed down that path and didn't stop it before it got there. So making sure that all parts of you are taken care of.So holistically, as in literally, you know, if you take medicine, of course, you know, converse with your doctor, have that report where you understand information that they're giving you, you trust their expertise to follow the rules and guidelines that they give you, and also seeking other methods within that doctor's scope that can help you. And also, if it's mental, make sure you're also taking care of your physical.If it's physical, make sure you're also taking care of your mental health.

Yeah. You know, listening to you say all that, it makes me think like, wow, we all have to have like a medical team, like a full on team.

Yes.

And like many people, you know, I feel like folks might be like, dang, you go to this person, that person, that person, what's wrong with you? But it's like, it just seems like everybody needs to have a team.

Yes, you absolutely do. I have. Literally, my doctor told me I had high cholesterol a couple years ago and I was like, oh, I just started feeling bad. I'm like, I'm so young.

Yeah.

You know, I feel like I'm relatively healthy and I'm hearing these things that I usually hear, you know, older people. And it started like messing with me. So I brought it up to my therapist. Like, everybody's doing the same thing.It takes a village, you know, to do everything.

Yeah, it really does.

Everything.

Yeah, it really does. Yeah, everything. And I mean everything. What should one a person do if they don't?Because you said like, even like the information you have on your website, it could be for like a guardian, someone you could trust. Any advice for folks who are like, I don't have anyone.

That's a good point. That's a good point.Because even if you have people, you know, you may not have people that you trust like that, you know, you may be reluctant to hand them the keys in that way to help guide you along.In that case, whoever you're speaking with or whoever you're receiving health information from, whatever provider or whomever, make sure that your rapport and that you Trust them. Make sure that your rapport is, you know, good enough to the point where you can express that to them.Hey, I'm not really understanding what's going on, and it's just me.I need to be able to understand this information because I don't have anybody that I can have you tell this to, and they can, you know, put it in language I can understand. Can you say what you just said another way?

Yeah. Advocate for yourself.

Yes. Right at the source.

Yeah. What health disparities concern you the most and what gives you hope the most?

Because there is a lot.

Yeah, there.

There is a lot I would say off the top of my head, because I live in the state of Mississippi, and we are leading in black maternal health deaths.

Wow.

That is one that is. It never ceases to amaze me how much of our bodies we put on the line to bring life into this world just for us to complete that cycle.Put, you know, the most important part of that cycle in the hands of a provider, and then all of a sudden, everything goes wrong.

Yeah.

In all this work, you've gotten excited, you've been nurturing yourself, you've been nurturing the life that you're getting ready to bring into the world. And then a doctor, a nurse, somebody isn't listening to you, and all of a sudden, you drop the ball.And that's something that doesn't care about what tax bracket you're in, where you live, where you come from. It's literally what you look like.And those stereotypes, especially in the medical field that precede that, because when you think about the fact that.And I wrote about this in my journal about Serena Williams having to advocate for herself and letting the doctors know, hey, I have a history of blood clots, and they just weren't like they were completely dismissing her. So if Serena Williams has to advocate for herself, and it's still almost not her, she has to have her husband back her up.What about a woman in rural Mississippi? Yeah, so, yeah, that. That's the one. That's the. That's the first one that comes to mind is something that's very important here locally.I mean, a lot of organizations are working to eradicate that, but that's the disparity that always tops my list.

Yeah, that's really scary. Do you think that, like, a way to combat that is to have black doctors, or could it happen with the black doctor, too?

It absolutely can't happen with the black doctor. Yeah. Yeah, it sure can. I think a lot of times, and I feel like I'VE been talking about this a lot lately, but, like the strong black woman trope.

Yeah.

I don't need you to think I'm invincible, because I'm not. I know we wear with a badge of honor to a certain degree, but I don't need you to think I'm invincible. I'm absolutely not.I need you to treat me with kid gloves or the amount of fragility that I need you to treat me with when I need it and not just say, oh, she. She got it. They can handle pain. You know, she's mentioned something before and dismissed it.So surely, you know, this is, you know, not that bad for her.

Yeah.

So, yeah.

Is the organizations that are helping to eradicate this, like, what gives you hope around this thing?

Absolutely, Absolutely. It's one that I've worked with several times called Six Dimensions here, and they are awesome.And they take the same approach that I take with Project Healthy Kit and making it a community issue. It's not just the intervention. Health literacy and health education is a community issue.That means I need to talk to the community members, the community health workers, the doctors, the nurses, people who work in the business office, everybody that has a say in the complete health experience. We need to bring everybody to the table. This is a solution that we all need to have.

Yeah, absolutely. And Project healthekit. How can someone hire you or how do we work with you? You have the free resources on your website. What else you got going on?

Yes, so my resources that I have on my website, I'm working on more, and I'm also updating the ones that I have there. Those resources are for everybody, all community members. I also speak with groups of providers. I talk to churches, you know, those.I go out into the community and actually speak with groups of people, children, things of that nature. My email, my contact information is on my website, so I have a contact form there, or you can reach me.I'm working on coursework for providers to kind of help bridge that gap as best I can, you know, in aiding that holistic approach.

Yeah.

I can't just throw everything on the community and say, hey, you need to go to the doctor. You need to say this, say that, say this. Doctors need to meet you halfway.If you don't have the words, they need to have the words for you, you know, My hope is just to facilitate that conversation. It still takes the other party to make that conversation successful. So I'm working on coursework where I can offer CEUs to providers.

Oh, wow. Great.

For all disciplines and creating Health the kids, like a healthy kid. University, so to speak, where I can provide certificates to health the kids because it's important in the age of eradication.I feel like I've been using that word a lot, but that's the administration that we're in of dei. Diversity, equity, and inclusion. It's still important for culture to be a part of care. There's no way around that.The way African Americans speak is unlike the way that Asian Americans speak, that other minorities speak. Practitioners need to be able to adequately communicate with the community that they're providing services to.You'll be surprised that even after medical school, I was reading because I'm a research data analyst, so I'm always looking at research studies. The 18% of a surveyed group of new doctors who entered the professional world, so to speak, only 18% of them received. And this was last.This was published last year. 18% Of them received, like, culturally competent training.

Okay.

You know, after they were kind of set free from medical school. And I'm just like, that's not.

That's not enough.

That's not nearly enough. And then we look at the CDC saying that 9 out of 10 people don't understand basic health information.

Yeah.

That's a recipe for disaster.

Absolutely.

Wow.

You research all of these super smart topics and very important. Contributing to help the world flow. Thank you. Do you ever research anything silly?

I feel like I do, and it's not even a stat. And this is. I may sound crazy. Please don't tease me.

No, I'm inviting the question.

I literally just learned because when the astronauts, you know, did their thing some months back, I was like, all in that. I was like, yes. I mean, let me get, you know, into that. Into my actual physicist bag, whatever bag that is. But I did recently learn that.Not silly, but new to me. Yeah, you said silly, but I just thought about the first thing that came to mind, that, like, wireless connection is not truly wireless.That there are transatlantic cables that run at the bottom of oceans that connect.

Oh, wow.

No, Cool. It's not silly, but.

No, it's not silly. It is fascinating, though. It is. Yeah. Cause I'm always like, how do they get all the way down there?

Yes, yes. But I think along more the silly line. That was just random. But. And it's. I'm random. I was listening when I went to work this morning.I heard Alicia Keys, Teenage Love Affair on the satellite radio. And when I was on the way home, you don't know my name played. And there's like a. There's like a drum beat that sounded similar in both songs.I haven't had time to, like, research it, but I won't do it after I end this.

Yeah.

And I promise you I'll follow up with you and let you know if the same person produced both of those. Because now I'm interested in knowing what Alicia Keys was on during it. During it.

Yeah, for sure.

Yeah.

Yeah. And also, maybe it's a drummer that she's like, you know what? Before you go, since I booked you for the day, can we knock out this also?You know, can I get two songs out? Yaely.

So I will be researching that. That's all. Yeah, definitely.

I just love, like, research practices. And I'm always like, I use research a lot, like, in my own, you know, artwork. And so I just feel like I have my one way to do it.But when folks like you, who have, like, the doctorate degr and, you know, like, there's a dissertation and then, like, applying this to healthcare, it's always like, okay, you know, this is a whole other lane. I feel like that'd be, like, a fun thing to nerd out on how folks research.

That would be, actually.

Yeah. I remember I was watching a lady at. I just came back from a conference in Detroit, and a woman just had this, like, really beautiful note taking.Like, the way she was just using the page and, like, listening to the information, like, gathering it all up. I was like, oh, my gosh, I have to ask her about that. As soon as the session was over, she immediately left.Like, I don't know if she had to go pick up her kid or something like that, but I was like, oh, my gosh, if I see her again, I'm gonna ask her. Because, like, I don't know how she was categorizing that, but it was just so fascinating, especially, like, listening live, you know?

You know, it's so funny that you say that, because I was just having a conversation with someone about note taking.

Yeah.

I'm learning a different job function to take over temporary or. One of my coworkers is on maternity leave, and I was like, okay, I haven't taken notes in a while. Let me organize my thoughts.And so I found myself doing, like, a. Instead of, like, taking, like, traditional notes, I was, like, doing a chart.Like, I start at the top, and then it splits at a certain point, and then it splits out again. Like, you know what?I've never thought to, like, visualize my note taking like this, and then, like, actually write it down that way, but it's really helping me soak in that information. And I'm only pulling this. Cause I'm looking at it. My family tree. And I thought about it.I was like, it started my family tree, like, literally making a diagram for people to put, you know, that information in.

Yeah.

And that's just the best way for me to, you know, take in that information. And other people, like, okay, that doesn't make any sense to me. But, you know, as long as you get it, it's like, yeah. Different note taking style.You know, the way we, you know, retain information.

Yeah. It's just something to nerd out on. Yeah.

Yeah.

So let's talk about your book, Improving A Black girl's guide to being better.

Yes.

What inspired you to write this book?

Journaling. Moesha and a black Girl in journaling. But shout out to Brandy Norwood.But I. I always knew I wanted to, like, publish my writing because I would, you know, like, I call myself sometimes madolinguists to be funny. Ooh, that's a. I'll say something. I love it. Ooh, that's a bar. So I always had the dream of being a published art.And I thought about the first thing I wanted to write about. Something that really reflected who I am at my core and who's inspired what part of me has inspired. Literally multiple branches that flow from me.It's journaling. And so I wanted it to be both an encouragement piece and a self help piece. So it's a literal journal.Like, there's chapters, and then I have, like, question prompts after the chapters and then journal pages just to kind of bring people into. Bring people into my world. Literally.

Yeah. You know, the title of it is so interesting because perfection can feel impossible. So, like, what does improving perfection mean to you?

Actually, it plays on that strong black woman.

Yeah.

I feel like that stereotype derives from telling little black girls that they need to be perfect, which is why the Brandy aesthetic was so. Yes.

Yeah.

Yes, you can. You can. You can look like that.Like, you know, Brandi really had it all together, you know, on the outside, but she was just a normal girl like everybody else, trying to figure it out. She didn't have it all together. She just looked apart.So I feel like in trying to perfect little black girls, and we do, you know, theoretically, I do see all black girls as perfect. Perfect as they are. There's ways to improve their perfection. Like, we don't need to just be told we're perfect, told we're strong.We need to actually figure out what that looks like individually. For us to help improve whatever it is we need to improve is.

Do you think with that that it's always like, moving a goalpost? Like, we'll always be improving then? Because even after we, like. I need to improve. Just say, like, my, like, walking more or something like that.Now that you're walking more now you, like, figure out the next thing.

Yes.

Yeah.

Yes. Constantly moving that goal post either forward or back.

Yeah.

Because we may go a little too hard.

Yeah.

You wearing too many hats. The top of this year came, and it was. It was whooping me.

Yeah.

Oh, my goodness. I was like, well, I need to step back a little bit, so I need to move that goal post. I need to. I've been going a little bit, too.And that's where that holistic approach came in. I just. I'm letting everybody know, okay. All this stuff has to be interconnected.Like, my stress level may be causing me to eat certain things, which is causing my, you know, my cholesterol to go up. And in the midst of all that, I'm dealing with something mentally that's causing everything that's going on with me physically. So, yes.Moving that goal post, changing and improving. I think we all need to be in the business of that.

Yeah, I think that that's good to hear because I'm always, like. Like, I definitely am always like that.Like, that whole perfectionist tendencies, but I'm like, okay, let me, like, let go of that and just, like, just try my best and, like, you know, and, like, the improving. Improving perfection, I think is probably is a lighter way to go about things. Yeah. Yeah. What did you.Did you, like, learn anything about yourself while you were, you know, organizing this book? Even, like, from some of the prompts, as you're, like, putting it together might have, like, hit a nerve or something.

It was mainly from, you know, like, digging into my experiences that. Digging into my experiences and things I've been through to provide that encouragement. That was the. That was the hardest part.That's what I wasn't expecting. Me having to think about, you know, being told that my hair is a little.A little too epic, you know, having to, you know, go back into that part of myself to tell other, you know, black girls, Black women, don't let anybody play in your face about your hair.

Yeah. For real.

How it grows out of your head is totally fine. We've made a thing about messy buns, but all of a sudden now, you know, black hair and all the like needs to be policed. The math isn't math.It's not, you know, you're allowed to be messy.Or some people are allowed to be messy, but others are, you know, have to basically make their hair submissive to whatever standards it's trying to rebel against. However it grows out of your scalp is fine. On top of whatever grows out of your scalp, it's totally fine. Do what works for you.

Yeah. Hair is such a wild thing. I have a friend who, you know, she loves. It's this white coach, like, this life coach.And this woman's hair is literally matte. It's all over her head. It looks so crazy. And she charges, like, a crazy amount of money for her sessions. And I'm like, you can't go to her.Yeah, look at her hair. Because I'm like. I'm like, oh, my God, If I find a picture, I'm going to just send it to you. Like, this is what I was talking about.Because I'm like, this lady's asking all these questions. I would never be able to get away with that. Like, show up, like, unkept and say, yeah, to talk to me is $1,500. You would be. This person is insane.Like, are you gonna take your hair. My $1,500 to the braid shop, like, right now? Cause that's what you need to do. This woman looked, you know, absolutely mad.Her hair was all over her head. And you hate to, like, talk about women, but it just was so crazy.

When you think about the lengths that we go through to feel presentable.

Yeah.

And you get to come out here looking how you looking. It's not right.

No.

It's a slap in my face.

It's like, I agree. I agree.

I can't. I can no longer, like, subscribe to that. And I get that, you know, our generations before us meant well. They meant well.

Yeah.

But the reality is that I'm not. I can't do that.

Yeah.

I cannot do that.

Absolutely not. So with your book, was it written for girls or is it for everybody?

It's for black girls. Black women.

Yeah. Okay.

Specifically, I call you by name.

Yeah.

Black girl. Black women. Because that's an audience that I know better than any other hat that I wear. Black women.That's an experience that is singular in regards to the way the outside world. In regards to the way we have to navigate the outside world. A singular experience.

Yeah.

That's what I tap into for sure. I've learned a lot about myself in the last 35 years.And trying to pour that first into seven, eight year old Madalyn and then into other black girls and black women.

Yeah. So sweet. What has entrepreneurship taught you about leadership?

That I am not as assertive as I thought I was.

Okay.

And you need a level of assertion that may make other people uncomfortable.

Yeah. That's so true. Uh huh. Yeah.

And. And it's.It rebels against the part of me that still, you know, works in the corporate world because then we have to be assertive in a way that is respectful, keeps us out of hr and it's good for the bottom line.

Yeah.

And things still move regardless. If you are too assertive, they're gonna get you out the door.

Yeah.

You know, and things will keep rolling. So your assertive nature may get you in trouble. It may be true to you, but rebelling gets the bottom line.Whereas as an entrepreneur, me being assertive is required. Like, things are halting.If I'm not assertive and speaking up for myself, it may be what keeps me from an opportunity, a grant, a chance to work with someone. So, yeah, I'm not as assertive as I thought I was. It's a different, different ball game on this side.

Yeah.Are you like, just trying to be more and like, like, is it just something that you're noticing and just trying to, like, work on as you, you know, maybe see a grant or an opportunity?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Is that a part of improving perfection?

Yeah.

Okay. Because I live. I live my wraps.

Yeah.

I'm not gonna tell you anything that, that I don't know. Haven't been through, haven't experienced, am not willing to put myself under, you know, scrutiny for.So, yes, it's something I'm definitely noticing and working on. Cause, you know, I'm normally, you know, again, sidelines. I'm double ditching. I'm about to go in.It looks like I'm gearing up, but I don't, you know, always have that confidence to actually make that dive. And I have had to tap into that for sure. And it's constant work.

Yeah.

Constant work.

You know, you're doing so many different, you know, wonderful things. You know, it's really such a gift, you know, Ms. and this planet is so lucky to have you.

Right?

Yeah. You know, how do you stay grounded with everything?

Family. Yeah, family. And being around people who love me. I think I have, let me tell it.The best, best friends on both sides of the Mississippi, like in the entire world. And they keep me grounded. They let me bounce ideas off of them.They, as different as they are, they are able to contort themselves and not painfully, not against their will. But contort themselves to be an extension of me, and that helps me be better.

Oh, my gosh, that's. That is so nice. Versus that one friend. You'd be like, I don't know.

Right?

Yeah. Oh, my gosh. I love that. I love that they're like, at least, you know, that they have, you know, thoughts and ideas to, like, share back to you.To mirror back to you. Yeah.

Oh, yes, yes, absolutely.

You know, really quick going back to your book. If readers take away one lesson from your book, what do you hope it is? Well,.

That all things work together. That's a scripture. That's something that I live my life by. No experience that you've ever gone through has been in vain.And it may not feel like it at the time. It may take years for it to come full circle, and it may not even be a full circle moment for you. It may be for somebody else.But no experience that you've ever undergone is in vain. It happened for a reason. And that reason may not hit you until 30 years from now, but I truly believe that all things work together.

Yeah. That's really nice. You know, you have a podcast also, which amazing. Do you hear yourself is what it's called, Right?

Yeah.

Yeah, I love it. What. After, you know, with your own show, how has your perspective on communication or education changed?

Education specifically, that we can all learn something from somebody.

Yeah.

And I feel like I already knew that, but I definitely know that now because my guests that I've had on my show, I know personally, but through my interviewing them, I've learned totally new parts about themselves and life and the way they've navigated systems that has helped me in ways that I don't think I would have tapped into without the show. So it's been a learning experience that way and communication that I am country girl, and that's all.

I love it. Yeah, I love it.

Country. I call myself the Cackle Queen. You know, we talked about the fact that I also host On Riverside and the feature about them. You being able.Able to, like, take out, like, pauses and laughs and being able to understand yourself while you're laughing is not. I feel so bad for everybody who listens to me cackle while I'm talking, because. But communication in that way that, you know, it's.It's good to engage with people naturally.

Yeah.

But you also want to make sure that you are getting your message across, and that's something I'm still improving to. It's not perfect at all, but I'm still improving.

Yeah. Oh, my gosh. I feel like my new mantra in the morning from you now is going to be like, I am improving perfection.

Every day.

Yeah. You know, what is one, like, health or wellness myth that you find yourself constantly debunking?

Ooh, that is such a great question, Stephanie. Constantly debunking. Well, the use of sunscreen and being a black girl.

Yeah.

We think that we're protected from the sun, and we absolutely are not. So I started, and I'm still, you know, practicing on becoming religious about wearing sunscreen even when it's cloudy out.Yeah, I think I'm gonna be out.Even though, you know, I work indoors, if I walk outside a lot, so reapplying every four hours because, you know, skin cancer and things of the like still impact us as well. Like, we're not immune from any of that just because we are melanated.

Yeah, that's a really good one.I was just thinking about that this morning when I, like, I will put on sunscreen, but I'm like, oh, yeah, I should think of a sunscreen to put on my arms. And for some reason, because the sunscreen I use is, like, you know, like a tinted, moisturizing sunscreen.I'm like, this cost too much to put on my arms, but it also probably be good because it'll, like, match. But I don't know, I was thinking I need to figure something out.

Like, you know, I got the black girl sunscreen for my face, but Neutrogena, Excuse me, Has a good one for the body.

Oh, okay.

Or whatever else is exposed to. Yes, yes. Sunscreen is not. It's not cheap.

No, it's not.

Yeah, it's not cheap at all. So I'm constantly having to put that into practice and debunk that with people that I talk to because they're like, girl, I don't need sunscreen.Yeah, yeah. I went into the sun and I burned a little bit, but that just happens.

Right?

You know?

Right. That's why you need exactly, like. Yeah, there's a reason. Oh, my gosh. You know, Last question as we wind down.What's, like, one wellness practice that you've been loving lately?

Sleep. Yeah, Sleeping and the importance of sleep.I have a ring con to track my sleep now because that's something that I need to work on, and I honestly do feel better after.

Oh, that's awesome.

A good night's rest, like, actually allow myself to decompress, go to sleep, you know, get the amount of hours that I need to jumpstart my day. And not rely on the coffee to an extreme. Rely on energy drinks and, you know, things of that nature. And it also helps me digest food better.You know, at night when I'm allowing my body to rest, it can get up and you know, ease into the day. I feel like it works wonders for my skin when I'm not sleepy because I don't have no bags. I'm not just kind of like drooping about the eyes.And it allows my skincare to really set in because I'm giving it enough time to sit on my skin. But sleep is important. I'm in my mid-30s now, so all nighters. I need a nap.

Yeah, I heard that if I'm not.

Gonna get it at night, I'm going to get it during the day.

Yeah, absolutely. Oh my gosh. How can we support your work? Where can we buy your book?

Actually, actually, you can buy it.I just, I'm going quiet on social media because I've, you know, been trying to do some stuff behind the scenes, you know, trying to, trying to expand past a one woman show.

Yeah.

Because it's hard. It's very, very, very hard.

Fellow one woman band over here. So I get it.

Yeah. You know, so I am now everywhere you can get a book.You can get it on madelinemedia.com it's on my website, it's on Amazon, you know, other big book retailers, you can get it there too if you just search. Improving perfection. But on my website is obviously the easiest, easiest part.And I'm going to be out in the community for the rest of the year physically selling copies too. So.

Awesome. And then like to have you talk to our. Do you do zoom talks as well? Like if we had like a. I.

Absolutely do on the contact form on Project Healthy kid dot com.

Okay.

You can send me messages there. You can also email me at Project healthy kid@gmail.com Getting a new email address added. But for now that's old paper.So you can definitely reach me there, reach me there to speak to groups. I speak to all sorts of groups.Anyone who just needs an introduction to what Project Healthy Kit is about and also topics related to health and wellness.I've talked to groups of students at universities about taking care of themselves, how to take advantage of health resources that they may have on campus yourself so that just in case mom isn't answering the phone and you need to answer right then that you know, you have another part, you know, of your brain to tap into to get that information. And again, just to reiterate also speak with providers, those who are in the health industry.I've talked to community health workers about, you know, making sure that they're, you know, and they do awesome, amazing work in the community, but, you know, just to give them something to think about in terms of their approach to the community that they're serving.

Yeah. Oh, that's so awesome. Thank you so much, Dr. Madalyn, for being on noseyAF.

Thank you so much, Stephanie, for having me with you as well.

Yes, I would really love that. That concludes another episode of nosy AF, 31 Days of Black Friday Business. I'm your host and friend, Stephanie Graham.I hope you took something away from today's conversation and had a good time hanging with us. Be sure to check out the show notes to learn more about today's guest and consider supporting their work.You know how it goes, whether you're making a purchase, hiring them, or simply spreading the word. Listen, who doesn't love a referral? It truly all makes a difference.Quick thank yous go out to Queen Lex and Freddie Bam Bam for the nosy AF theme music and Emma McGorick who hooked me up with the COVID art and branding. Shout out to the partners and supporters for this series. You could check them out in the show notes as well. Super grateful for a partner. Hello.That's the show Friends until tomorrow. Stay curious and take care. Bye.