Mati Hlatshwayo Davis

“With her impressive background and extensive experience as an infectious disease expert, I am confident in Dr Hlatshwayo Davis’ ability to lead our Covid-19 response as well as our efforts to improve health outcomes across the city”

“At 39 years, she has made history as the first black woman health director of St. Louis.”

“Hlatshwayo Davis said her interest in public health was shaped by the death of her father, who was diagnosed with cancer and diabetes.”

“And my primary focus across all of those priorities, whether it's with my staff, with COVID, and with other health care conditions, is equity. Making sure that I lead with equity, that I center equity, and that I do everything with a lens for equity.”

“What is true for my family is not true for the family next door or down the street. We get nowhere venting our frustrations through talk of blame. So when we don’t see people masking, when we don’t see people doing what we think they should be doing, let’s just really be thoughtful about how we engage people and have healthy conversations to get our communities where we’d like to see them.”