Spirit of My Ancestors: A Black Woman Doctor's Truth

Doctor Opeyemi is a Black woman in America, where no amount of status or privilege can keep her safe from patriarchy and misogynoir.

But Spirit can; and the Ancestors whisper secrets.

Journey with a Black woman doctor, through boulevards of light and back alleys of shadows, as she explores the legacies, family traumas and synchronicities that have brought her life together in a perfect storm of revelation and transformation.

Inspiration (and cautions) from this memoir can support the reader's own journey to increased self-awareness and holistic health.

Opeyemi Parham retired from a successful 20 years as a family doctor, 22 years ago. "Post doctoring", she has focused on social work, and on creating ceremonies to help clients and patients advocate for themselves and make meaning out of more challenging life experiences. She is a "true American"; a fifth generation descendent of enslaved Africans and their oppressors. In her bisexual polyamorous neo-pagan lifestyle, she has learned to be a keen observer of the dominator culture that she has largely rejected. She provides social commentary though YOUTUBE (Dr O's Medicine Show), Substack and essays at her own website.

Along her life journey, she raised her own two biological children and participated in the parenting of two more (in communal living with seven adults) for an extended period of seven years. She is now the grandmother of two. Opeyemi (also known as "Doctor O") enjoys dance, song, writing, visual art, storytelling, and facilitating council circles. Her memoir is part modern slave narrative, and part cautionary tale. She enjoys telling everyone who will listen that she has grown into a healing artist, and is an artist, HEALING, in a country that has been trying to kill her, since before she was born.

"The best revenge is to live well"