Voices of Influence Pink Panel Discussion: Black Women, Breast Cancer, and the Battle to Be Heard

Three Chicago women open up with Coach Mo about their journeys to survival, the truth beyond the statistics, and the connections to stress that we overlook in our busy society. This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, their stories remind us why awareness alone isn’t enough.

Every October, we see pink ribbons, charity walks, and awareness posts flood our timelines. But this year, I wanted to go beyond the slogans and talk with women whose lived experiences remind us what those ribbons really mean.

In a heartfelt Chicago Defender panel, I sat down with three powerful Black women who are not just surviving breast cancer—they are redefining what survival looks like.

Dr. Lakshmi Emory, MD didn’t expect to be on the other side of the diagnosis room. Her mother had breast cancer. She had breast ca