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Dr. Tonyatta Hairston

EnVision Eye Care

It is an honor for the Williams Group to recognize and acknowledge Black History Month. Thank you for allowing me to have this platform to talk about my journey and why it's special to me to be a Black woman with a business in Optometry.

Being an Optometrist is something that I have always wanted to do. This has been my childhood dream since I was 6 years old. I am very thankful I had a pretty straightforward path from college into optometry school, graduating, entering the workforce, and then into my private practice. I think what is significant about my journey is that there are stigmas and barriers to entry that have made opportunities for achievement more difficult but recognizing and acknowledging the struggles allowed me to overcome it.

As a small business owner, and as an optometrist, the first thing that I think about is that I am very proud to have accomplished all that I have over the last 21 years. When you sent the questions for me to answer, one of them mentioned ‘successful’, and that word has always been really difficult for me to encompass because I'm not sure if I completely see myself in that light. I see myself as someone who has worked really hard and broken some barriers. So, in that way, I guess success can be denoted. My key to success is to surround myself with the people who can help me achieve and accomplish my dream, work hard, try to make good choices, and then I put one foot in front of the other to make that happen.

When I think about Black History Month, and I think about my grandparents who did not have the opportunities I have had, the first word that comes to mind is proud. I am just very proud. I wish that they were here to enjoy seeing what has been accomplished and keeping their namesake alive during this journey. My second word would be thankful. So many people have been a part of this journey. My team and I have the honor and privilege of treating patients with the utmost care and diligence to fulfill the mission of EnVision Eye Care. They are a part of the everyday hustle of helping me to take care of patients and helping me to fulfill my dream and being able to serve the community in the way that I do.

I'm also thankful for the many people that have come before me. I think about the first African-American Optometrist in the state of Mississippi, Dr. David W. White Jr., who I actually had an opportunity to meet when I first graduated from Optometry school. He was such a happy and dynamic man with many talents.   During our conversations he talked about difficulties of even being able to open a practice and being limited to where you could open that practice geographically in Jackson, because he was black.  He opened in the historic Farish Street District, which was known for being a mecca for many black business owners in the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. We talked about all of his accomplishments, but one of his greatest accomplishments was being the first Black Optometrist in our state considering all the many issues Mississippi has had. We (African Americans) are still a very low percent of the total number of practicing OD's. So, again, the word thankful just resonates because I don't take it lightly that my presence is significant in this community. I would say that my patient base is about 80% African-American and 20% Caucasian and Other. However, that would also be in line with the city of Jackson and the population of our town. So, I don’t know if there is even any real significance to my patient-base being mainly African American, because I think it’s the demographics of our city. But oftentimes I will hear from my patients how they feel coming into the practice, and how proud they are to allow someone of color to serve their needs. So, it goes back, again, to being proud of my accomplishment and being thankful as well.

Lastly, just making sure that my purpose, with what has been bestowed upon me, is truly fulfilled. Optometry is not just a job, it's not just a profession, it is literally my life’s calling. Oftentimes, I try to use my platform to encourage other African American students, and really students in general, that dreams do come true.

In this community black kids, more times than not, may not see positive affirmations of themselves. So, for them to see me be able to walk into a classroom, talk to a PTA, or just do something in general that allows me to represent who I am and where I come from, provides hope that kids like me can be what I've become and that those goals are not unattainable. Living in this town, you hear story after story of things that are not positively portrayed, so I try to be really purposeful in my voice. I try to use my voice for positive influence in my city.

Every day, I feel very proud pulling up into my practice where I own the real estate, I employ 9 other individuals, and I am actively serving my community. I'm actually on my lunch break at a service organization meeting, to do something for girls in our community. There is always something that pulls me back to the core of service, helping people, making sure that people are represented, and seeing themselves in a light where they know that they can achieve their dreams. So again, my words of affirmation are proud, thankful, and being purposeful as I move forward.

Another aspect that I am really proud of is that over my 20-plus years of practicing and using my voice with others, it's been really important that I always advocate for the profession. To date, I can say that I have  helped students enter and matriculate in Optometry School. As of this past week, my 5th student was accepted into Southern College of Optometry. She's actually more of a mentee, and I’ve mentored her throughout High School, influenced her to decide on Optometry, and then helped her with that process. It's just so important that ‘each one reach one,' meaning we all do our part to help students and young people with their decision-making. Certainly, because of my passion for Optometry, that influence has helped this student in particular to make the same decisions. I'm super proud of her. All 5 of these students are African-American, and 4 of them are already OD’s and so she is my 5th ‘project’ if you will.

There’s a quote that I often use, and I’m not sure who to give credit to for this, but it simply says “I am my ancestors wildest dream”. To think about my ancestors coming over to this country on a slave ship, and how today I am able to own a business, employ other people and do so in a way that is impactful and affecting my community in a positive way, I would say I'm pretty proud of that! By no means do I see myself as something special, but at the same time, I stand on the shoulders of people who have made this possible for me, by sometimes even giving the ultimate sacrifice of their own life. So that's how I feel about Black History Month, and that's why it is important to me. I feel like I am black history, and I think I represent, in a very positive way, what it means to be Black in America and to do things that influence our culture, our people, and our communities.

Dr. Tonyatta Hairston

EnVision Eye Care

It is an honor for the Williams Group to recognize and acknowledge Black History Month. Thank you for allowing me to have this platform to talk about my journey and why it's special to me to be a Black woman with a business in Optometry.

Being an Optometrist is something that I have always wanted to do. This has been my childhood dream since I was 6 years old. I am very thankful I had a pretty straightforward path from college into optometry school, graduating, entering the workforce, and then into my private practice. I think what is significant about my journey is that there are stigmas and barriers to entry that have made opportunities for achievement more difficult but recognizing and acknowledging the struggles allowed me to overcome it.

As a small business owner, and as an optometrist, the first thing that I think about is that I am very proud to have accomplished all that I have over the last 21 years. When you sent the questions for me to answer, one of them mentioned ‘successful’, and that word has always been really difficult for me to encompass because I'm not sure if I completely see myself in that light. I see myself as someone who has worked really hard and broken some barriers. So, in that way, I guess success can be denoted. My key to success is to surround myself with the people who can help me achieve and accomplish my dream, work hard, try to make good choices, and then I put one foot in front of the other to make that happen.

When I think about Black History Month, and I think about my grandparents who did not have the opportunities I have had, the first word that comes to mind is proud. I am just very proud. I wish that they were here to enjoy seeing what has been accomplished and keeping their namesake alive during this journey. My second word would be thankful. So many people have been a part of this journey. My team and I have the honor and privilege of treating patients with the utmost care and diligence to fulfill the mission of EnVision Eye Care. They are a part of the everyday hustle of helping me to take care of patients and helping me to fulfill my dream and being able to serve the community in the way that I do.

I'm also thankful for the many people that have come before me. I think about the first African-American Optometrist in the state of Mississippi, Dr. David W. White Jr., who I actually had an opportunity to meet when I first graduated from Optometry school. He was such a happy and dynamic man with many talents.   During our conversations he talked about difficulties of even being able to open a practice and being limited to where you could open that practice geographically in Jackson, because he was black.  He opened in the historic Farish Street District, which was known for being a mecca for many black business owners in the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. We talked about all of his accomplishments, but one of his greatest accomplishments was being the first Black Optometrist in our state considering all the many issues Mississippi has had. We (African Americans) are still a very low percent of the total number of practicing OD's. So, again, the word thankful just resonates because I don't take it lightly that my presence is significant in this community. I would say that my patient base is about 80% African-American and 20% Caucasian and Other. However, that would also be in line with the city of Jackson and the population of our town. So, I don’t know if there is even any real significance to my patient-base being mainly African American, because I think it’s the demographics of our city. But oftentimes I will hear from my patients how they feel coming into the practice, and how proud they are to allow someone of color to serve their needs. So, it goes back, again, to being proud of my accomplishment and being thankful as well.

Lastly, just making sure that my purpose, with what has been bestowed upon me, is truly fulfilled. Optometry is not just a job, it's not just a profession, it is literally my life’s calling. Oftentimes, I try to use my platform to encourage other African American students, and really students in general, that dreams do come true.

In this community black kids, more times than not, may not see positive affirmations of themselves. So, for them to see me be able to walk into a classroom, talk to a PTA, or just do something in general that allows me to represent who I am and where I come from, provides hope that kids like me can be what I've become and that those goals are not unattainable. Living in this town, you hear story after story of things that are not positively portrayed, so I try to be really purposeful in my voice. I try to use my voice for positive influence in my city.

Every day, I feel very proud pulling up into my practice where I own the real estate, I employ 9 other individuals, and I am actively serving my community. I'm actually on my lunch break at a service organization meeting, to do something for girls in our community. There is always something that pulls me back to the core of service, helping people, making sure that people are represented, and seeing themselves in a light where they know that they can achieve their dreams. So again, my words of affirmation are proud, thankful, and being purposeful as I move forward.

Another aspect that I am really proud of is that over my 20-plus years of practicing and using my voice with others, it's been really important that I always advocate for the profession. To date, I can say that I have  helped students enter and matriculate in Optometry School. As of this past week, my 5th student was accepted into Southern College of Optometry. She's actually more of a mentee, and I’ve mentored her throughout High School, influenced her to decide on Optometry, and then helped her with that process. It's just so important that ‘each one reach one,' meaning we all do our part to help students and young people with their decision-making. Certainly, because of my passion for Optometry, that influence has helped this student in particular to make the same decisions. I'm super proud of her. All 5 of these students are African-American, and 4 of them are already OD’s and so she is my 5th ‘project’ if you will.

There’s a quote that I often use, and I’m not sure who to give credit to for this, but it simply says “I am my ancestors wildest dream”. To think about my ancestors coming over to this country on a slave ship, and how today I am able to own a business, employ other people and do so in a way that is impactful and affecting my community in a positive way, I would say I'm pretty proud of that! By no means do I see myself as something special, but at the same time, I stand on the shoulders of people who have made this possible for me, by sometimes even giving the ultimate sacrifice of their own life. So that's how I feel about Black History Month, and that's why it is important to me. I feel like I am black history, and I think I represent, in a very positive way, what it means to be Black in America and to do things that influence our culture, our people, and our communities.