Here’s the latest in the cultural wars. Colorado-based dermatologist Dr. Travis Morrell and nonprofit Do No Harm sued “Find A Black Doctor” this month. This was reported by Black Enterprise.  

Find A Black Doctor describes itself as …”is an internet directory of U.S. based black physicians and dentists in active clinical practice.  Our mission is to be a partner which provides access, education and resources to improve health outcomes particularly in the African American community.” 

Do No Harm is a Virginia-based nonprofit set up in April 2022 with the aim of keeping identity politics out of medical practice, education, and research. They file lawsuits often.  

In this complaint authored by Kurt Miceli, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Do No Harm, read, “…by excluding qualified doctors based solely on their skin color, this structure prioritizes race over medical skill, judgment, and experience and functions, in effect, as a form of racial exclusion.” For some this argument compels. 

I don’t agree.  

Supporters say that Find A Black Doctor has merely created a targeted visibility for underrepresented Black clinicians. They are also filling a market desire for Black patients who need help finding culturally responsive care. Their own online materials say that this niche is not the norm in the marketplace.  

But the demand is there. Medical mistrust in Black communities did not come from paranoia. It came from thoroughly documented patterns of exploitation, coercion, neglect, segregation, and stolen consent.  

Other organizations, like The Colorado Health Institute, tell us that some Coloradans avoid or delay health care because they fear unfair treatment. Black Coloradans reported concern at higher rates than White Coloradans in the 2023 Colorado Health Access Survey. CHI says 7.3% of Black or African American respondents reported skipping care due to fear of unfair treatment. That is important because health care avoidance can turn treatable issues into emergencies. 

Race is not the only factor in patient mistrust. The report also shows that among all adults who reported being treated with less respect, income or financial situation was the most common reason given, at 58.3%, followed by ethnic background/culture and race. That matters because class, poverty, insurance status, language, disability, age, gender, and trauma history can all shape how people are treated in medical settings. 

To be fair, I want you to understand that CHI interprets the data through the lens of “structural racism.” That is predictable for a public health equity organization.  

Racial affinity directories like Find A Black Doctor are a market-based response to a measurable care-access and trust gap. The Colorado Health Institute data and the lawsuit are not talking about the exact same thing, but they are connected by the same underlying issue: patients’ trust in health care.  

Ironically, in the lawsuit, the plaintiffs say, “We are excluded.” But across the country, communities of Black doctors and patients say, “We built this because we were already excluded from trust, access, representation, and equal care within medical settings. 

Find A Black Doctor steps into that gap. Even their website says, “Studies show that although most people don’t care if their physician is of the same race, for a variety of reasons, including cultural competence, a minority of Black people prefer a doctor of the same race as them.” 

It’s ironic, but low Black presence in the medical workforce has created an opportunity in the marketplace. We are a nation that likes free markets. I’m mortified to see this one being legally scrutinized.  

Yet we can affirm some Black patients’ need for trusted, culturally responsive care while also making sure the process completely honors racial fairness. For this reason, in 2026 professional platforms like Find A Black Doctor should be cautious about excluding qualified doctors from participation solely because of race.  

In strategy terms, a less vulnerable model might be a directory searchable by many factors, including cultural competence, spoken languages, communities served, training, patient reviews, and specialties. Perhaps provider identity can be voluntarily disclosed – without barring qualified doctors solely by race.  

Find A Black Doctor can avoid being sued ever again with a few small changes in their approach to targeting the patients that need them the most. The effort is worth it.  

Rachel Stovall is a Colorado Springs event manager, entertainer and community advocate.