31/07/2025
As a child in Louisiana, Dr. Russell Ledet climbed into dumpsters behind a Sam’s Club searching for food. His mother, watching from the car, told him to do his homework. “Hope is all I can afford,” she said.
Today, Ledet holds an M.D., Ph.D. and M.B.A., and serves as a triple board resident at IU Health. He’s also the founder of The 15 White Coats, a nonprofit promoting diversity in medicine, and is developing an AI-powered app to bridge the communication gap between parents and teens struggling with mental health.
On the latest episode of The Freedom Forum with Angela B. Freeman, Ledet shares the extraordinary story of how military discipline, an HBCU education, and relentless belief carried him from security guard to surgeon’s shadow—and into the operating room himself.
He also offers candid reflections on Indiana’s need for more inclusive healthcare leadership, why culturally relevant literacy matters, and how community innovation—like his Reels and Roots film series—can spark statewide change.
🎧 Listen to the full episode in your favorite podcast app or check the comments.
