onassis in another had a parent who had won a nobel prize in immunology. at that point my mother could say her own mother worked full-time, managed to get off of public assistance, became a licensed practical nurse and she was proud of her mother. but it was a culture shock for her to be at harvard surrounded by people who had tremendous resources and opportunities, family members who were physicians and she was the first to go to college, medical school. she was fortunate to find friends. she started medical school around the time of diversity initiatives, so her class was 10% black in the wake of mlk junior's assassination. higher education implemented diversity initiatives. host: one detail you put in about your mother was she had a scar on her forehead. dr. blackstone: yes, it is interesting because as an adult holding multiple roles i see my mother in the fullness that she was in addition to be a mother. but reflecting on experiences she had, the fact that she lived in poverty and that scar was from a rat bite. those are the conditions my mother was l