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Blog archive

December 2024

November 2024

Event of Remembrance
11/22/2024

Phishing Scams: What You Need to Know
11/22/2024

Pupusas Family Style: Another Adventurous Dining Winner
11/22/2024

Celebrating the Holidays
11/21/2024

Genealogy Group: Discovering Our Pasts
11/21/2024

Nathan Wolford – From Tragedy to Ministry
11/21/2024

Pasadena Village Board of Directors: A Brief Overview
11/21/2024

President's Message
11/21/2024

The Day of the Dead (Dia de muertos)/ Mexican Culture/Community
11/21/2024

Vintage Celebration: Aging Like a Fine Wine
11/21/2024

Review of Racism in Our Local Past
11/20/2024

Creative Juices Flow in The Village
11/19/2024

Checking In by Ed Rinderle
11/15/2024

Eagle Poem by Joy Harjo
11/15/2024

I Shall Forget You Presently, My Dear (Sonnet IV) by Edna St. Vincent Millay
11/15/2024

Pictures From Brueghel by William Carlos Williams
11/15/2024

October 2024

ARBORIST WALK: NOT FOR TREE HUGGERS ONLY!
10/29/2024

Bill Wishner: Visual Hunter
10/29/2024

Can a Village Group Fix Our Healthcare System?
10/29/2024

Community Board Directors Strengthen Village Board
10/29/2024

Connecting with Village Connections: The A, B, C, & D’s of Medicare @ 65+
10/29/2024

Grief is a Journey: Two Paths Taken
10/29/2024

Message from the President
10/29/2024

Promoting Informed & Involved Voters
10/29/2024

What Will Be Your Legacy?
10/29/2024

1619, Approaching the Election...
10/27/2024

Beyond and Within the Village - A Star is Born
10/17/2024

Happiness by Priscilla Leonard
10/11/2024

Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden
10/11/2024

Unpainted Door by Louise Gluck
10/11/2024

In the Evening by Billy Collins
10/10/2024

Wild Geese by Mary Oliver
10/10/2024

Betty Kilby, A Family History
10/01/2024

Betty Kilby, A Family History
10/01/2024

Betty Kilby, A Family History
10/01/2024

September 2024

August 2024

1619 Wide Ranging Interests
08/19/2024

1619 Wide Ranging Interests
08/19/2024

First Anniversary
08/19/2024

Alexandra Leaving by Leonard Cohen
08/16/2024

Muse des Beaux Arts by W. H. Auden
08/16/2024

The God Abandons Antony by Constantinos P. Cavafy
08/16/2024

Ch – Ch – Ch –Changes
08/15/2024

Cultural Activities Team offers an ‘embarrassment of riches’
08/15/2024

Engaging in Pasadena Village
08/15/2024

Future Housing Options
08/15/2024

Message from the President
08/15/2024

There Are Authors Among Us
08/15/2024

Villagers Welcome New Members at the Tournament Park Picnic
08/15/2024

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas
08/14/2024

A narrow Fellow in the Grass by Emily Dickinson
08/13/2024

Haikus
08/13/2024

One Art by Elizabeth Bishop
08/13/2024

Poem 20 by Pablo Neruda
08/13/2024

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
08/13/2024

Trees by Joyce Kilmer
08/13/2024

July 2024

June 2024

May 2024

Emergency Preparedness: Are You Ready?
05/28/2024

Farewell from the 2023/24 Social Work Interns
05/28/2024

Gina on the Horizon
05/28/2024

Mark Your Calendars for the Healthy Aging Research California Virtual Summit
05/28/2024

Meet Our New Development Associate
05/28/2024

Putting the Strategic Plan into Practice
05/28/2024

Washington Park: Pasadena’s Rediscovered Gem
05/28/2024

Introducing Civil Rights Discussions
05/22/2024

Rumor of Humor #2416
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2418
05/14/2024

Springtime Visitors
05/07/2024

Freezing for a Good Cause – Credit, That Is
05/02/2024

No Discussion Meeting on May 3rd
05/02/2024

An Apparently Normal Person Author Presentation and Book-signing
05/01/2024

Flintridge Center: Pasadena Village’s Neighbor That Changes Lives
05/01/2024

Pasadena Celebrates Older Americans Month 2024
05/01/2024

The 2024 Pasadena Village Volunteer Appreciation Lunch
05/01/2024

Woman of the Year: Katy Townsend
05/01/2024

April 2024

March 2024

February 2024

January 2024

Vital Signs Are Stable, Dr. Melba Swafford

By Blog Master
Posted: 03/22/2021
Tags: bios, video
--- Notes thanks to Sharon Jarrett ---


The 1619 Project Discussion Group met on March 19th.  There were 18 participants.
 
Dr. Melba Swafford was the speaker for the meeting which was recorded and will be on the group's blog.
 
Dick Myers introduced Dr. Swafford indicating her formal biography and link to her book, Vital Signs Are Stable: A Black Woman's Journey Through Life, are on the blog.
 
Dr. Swafford began by saying she wrote the book to help others in the belief that those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
 
She shared details of her family and upbringing in Smokey City, Texas.  Her family were initially farmers who moved to the city.  Her parents worked as a janitor and housecleaner.  The transition from rural to urban life was a challenging one.  Most notable was the lack of familiarity with "the norms of white life" which left the family "isolated".  The family had no access to written documents, telephones, running water, electricity or indoor plumbing. Life was led in the neighborhood and on the streets which Dr. Swafford described as consisting of watermelon skates, sticks for baseball bats, tree climbing, firefly catching and pools made using the family wash tub..."Everyone knew everyone and all adults watched children.".
 
Dr. Swafford attended segregated elementary and high schools.  In high school she was exposed to African American students from more affluent families and to the idea of attending college.  With the assistance of one teacher in particular she applied to Howard University which she attended.  In her sophomore year her mother died after being removed from life support following a brain bleed. The uncaring treatment by medical staff was to have future effects on Dr. Swafford's life choices.
 
Upon graduation, Dr. Swafford worked in computer programming for IBM and NASA.  However, the idea of becoming a physician continued to be in her mind.  She entered a program to complete the pre med courses she lacked and was admitted to Howard Medical School.
 
After graduation, Dr. Swafford entered her intern and residency program in what she described as a  " white male bastion of male superiority".  Dr. Swafford shared many examples from her experiences having to be "twice as good in order to survive."
 
She concluded with her work since retirement.  She works to ensure African American students are supported in high school, encouraged to attend college and to enter medical school.  At the conclusion of her talk, Dr.  Swafford answered questions  and engaged in conversation with the participants.

Click on "Vital Signs Are Stable" to watch Dr. Swafford's presentation. You can purchase "Vital Signs Are Stable," at, Vroman's ( our local Pasadena bookstore).
Tagged as GuestSpeaker
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