We had the good fortune of connecting with Nandi Ramirez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nandi, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
Since my Junior year of high school, I knew I was interested in studying medicine. In college, I attended a PWI, and predominantly white males taught my science courses. After college, I continued to take science prerequisites at another institution and often found myself in classrooms where there were not many students that looked like me. Those experiences taught me how important representation is for black women interested in the sciences/medicine.

Noire Medical Women, LLC is a brand dedicated to inspiring and promoting black women of all ethnicities in medicine. My brand sells merchandise such as mugs and keychains that display images of black women in the medical profession. Every time someone uses one of my products, I hope they see themselves in the images exuding confidence, intelligence, competence, beauty, and success. And, if they do not hear it from anyone else, my brand must remind black women in medicine that they are valuable and indispensable.

What should our readers know about your business?
I am very proud of myself for taking the leap of faith and starting my business in the first place. Honestly, finding the confidence to start was the main challenge for me. I initially was very hesitant about it because I knew I would have to put myself and my journey out there. I had the vision in my head but was nervous about moving forward with it. With the support of my friends and loved ones, I overcame my fear and am glad that I did. It has been such a rewarding experience. The main lesson I learned throughout all of this is to just start. People may have similar ideas as you, but there is only one you, and no one can do anything as you can.

The one thing that truly brings me joy is seeing women with their Noire Medical Women merchandise. I want black women who are pursuing medicine to know that I have been in their shoes. I know what it is like to want something so badly yet always feel like there is another obstacle in the way, but they should continue to fight for their dream. My goal is for my brand to create a safe space for black women to connect with, learn from, and inspire one another.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend were visiting the area, our first stop would definitely be downtown, Decatur. We would walk around, and then I would take them to get Jeni’s ice cream. On Tuesday, we would go to the roof of Ponce City Market so we could play some games and have fun. Wednesday, we could go shopping at Lenox or Buckhead shops and later grab dinner and a movie at Cinèbistro. Thursday, we could get active and climb Stone Mountain or walk around the Beltline. Friday, we would eat at Nakato’s and then go to Slush that night. Luckily, in Atlanta, there is always something to do. We would have a great time.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to thank all the black women who supported me to get to where I am today. I send a special thank you to my mentor at my alma mater, Agnes Scott, Dr. Brown, and my older Scottie sister, Lauren, who I idolize and am grateful for helping me get through many of my challenging courses at Agnes.

I also would like to give a special shoutout to all the black female physicians who have let me shadow them at one point, like Dr. Bing and Dr. Henderson.

Additionally, I would like to recognize the woman who inspired me and motivated me to become a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Dr. Morgan. She was my pediatrician when I was younger and is an incredible woman. The positive experience I had with her, a physician who looked like me, is an experience I will never forget.

Lastly, I would like to thank my physics professor at Agnes, Dr. Wallace. He was the one and only science professor during my time at that institution that told me, “You can do this!” He would even write positive affirmations on sticky notes on my exams. He is an outstanding professor and an overall fantastic person.

Website: https://www.noiremedicalwomen.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noiremedicalwomen/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/noiremedicalwomen/

Other: Email: noiremedicalwomen@gmail.com

Image Credits
Darius Walls Armanko Kouchak

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