Unmasking Anti-Blackness: The Erasure of Dr. Medlock from Campaign Videos by the BHA

A community health advocate shared with the JFM collective that they recently experienced the Mandela Effect when talking with peers about the Power of Language video from BHA’s Lift the Label recovery campaign.

The advocate recalled a video featuring Dr. Medlock speaking about intentional recovery language and efforts to decrease stigma. When the advocate attempted to find and share the video with their peers, they searched the Lift the Label campaign website only to find that the Power of Language video DID NOT feature Dr. Medlock.

The current video on the Lift the Label site can be viewed here: https://liftthelabel.org/stories/#popup-power-of-language. 

After hearing this story, the JFM collective felt compelled to delve into the unsettling truth of an apparent act of erasure against Dr. Medlock.

Fortunately, Commissioner Kefalas of Larimer County has a public source of BHA emails and external messages collected in an open Google Group. 

The BHA July Newsletter from 2022 contained an announcement celebrating the release of “three new videos to further reduce stigma, focused on the power of language, the importance of naloxone, and the effectiveness of medications for opioid use disorder. We are so thankful for all of the dedicated, inspiring, and powerful voices of some of Colorado's medical, behavioral health, and law enforcement professionals and peers who shared their expertise for these videos. You'll see many familiar faces in these videos, including our fearless leader, Commissioner Medlock!”

Unsurprisingly, the link from the newsletter is broken now however the collective was able to track down a BHA Facebook post from August 5, 2022, with the original video, here: https://www.facebook.com/BHAConnect/videos/lift-the-label-power-of-language/1008572756497169.

The implications of this act extend beyond a mere oversight, resonating as a manifestation of anti-Blackness. Here is a screen grab of the original video featuring Dr. Medlock 14 seconds into playing. 

And, here is a screen grab of the current video on the Lift the Label site 14 seconds into playing. 

The absence of accountability within the state government, especially from leaders like Interim Commissioner Michelle Barnes, reflects a betrayal of the core principles of public service. The public expects its leaders to act with integrity, transparency, and a commitment to justice. The erasure of a Black woman leader from a public health initiative contradicts these principles, causing harm not only to Dr. Medlock but also to the community she serves. The community is left grappling with the question of who made the call to erase Dr. Medlock and why. 

In conclusion, the continued erasure of Dr. Medlock and the apparent lack of accountability within the BHA, coupled with the misuse of government dollars for seemingly petty reasons, demands a collective outrage. This episode is not just an isolated incident; it is a symptom of a broader issue that needs urgent attention.

The harm caused by the BHA’s actions, led by Barnes, is not only a disservice to Dr. Medlock but also to the community she tirelessly serves. The JFM collective calls for a reckoning, demanding that the BHA address and rectify this act of anti-Blackness and erasure, ensuring that such incidents do not persist in the future and that Dr. Medlock’s transformational impact is honored.

As we confront the troubling erasure of Dr. Medlock from the Lift the Label campaign video, one cannot help but wonder: What other vital contributions of Dr. Medlock have been similarly erased, casting a shadow on the true extent of the impact she has made in the realm of community-centered behavioral health reform?