Dr. Kre Helps Black Women Navigate Healthcare Disparities
Dr. Kre Helps Black Women Navigate Healthcare Disparities In Honor Of Women’s Health Month [Exclusive]
Dr. Ankrehah Trimble Johnson, —known affectionately as Dr. Kre—is a board-certified family medicine physician, speaker, life coach, and fierce advocate for women’s health. Based in Birmingham, Alabama, she owns and operates Brownstone Healthcare & Aesthetics and serves as Medical Director of the Living Well PrEP Clinic. Through her nonprofit, Three Twenty Girls, Inc., she empowers young women in STEM and medicine. In this exclusive MadameNoire interview, Dr. Kre opens up about mental health, healthcare disparities, and the importance of self-advocacy.
MadameNoire: What inspired your mission to champion both mental and physical health for women?
Dr. Kre: I grew up in Perry County, Alabama, near Selma, the heart of the Civil Rights Movement. My father was a pastor, and I’d accompany him on hospital visits. That early exposure sparked my curiosity, and I’ve wanted to be a doctor since I was 4. Watching him care for people deeply impacted me, and that shaped my mission today.
How has your personal experience shaped your approach to holistic healthcare for women?
My path was nontraditional. I launched my own practice right after residency and got married soon after—zero stars, don’t recommend doing both in the same [timeframe]! I worked nonstop and loved it, but when my 4 year old daughter asked, “Are you going to work again?” it hit me. I realized I needed boundaries to be present as a mom and wife. That was my wake-up call.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. What are some silent signs of mental health struggles that women often ignore?
Things like persistent anxiety, nausea, excessive sweating, or rapid heartbeats are often dismissed as stress. Many of us are high-functioning in our depression. We’re fine at work, but we get home, crawl into bed, and stay there all weekend. That’s not normal. If you constantly want to isolate or feel exhausted, it’s time to take a closer look.
Let’s talk about the myth of the strong Black woman. How is that affecting our mental health?
We were raised by women who were strong, but we didn’t see their struggles. They cried behind closed doors. Now, we carry those invisible expectations to be superwomen. We need to break that cycle. It starts by building a tribe—a support system where we can vent, laugh, cry, and just be. That community care is mental healthcare.
You’re the Medical Director of the Living Well PrEP Clinic. Why should more women consider it?
Many women assume they’re in monogamous relationships. Reality is, you can only account for your actions. With rising rates of HIV among Black women, especially due to down-low partners, PrEP is smart protection. No stigma, just safety.
You also founded Three Twenty Girls, Inc. Why is that work meaningful?
We started it to honor Cortland Arrington, a high school senior who was killed by gun violence just before graduation. She wanted to become a nurse. We now offer scholarships and mentorship to young women in Birmingham City Schools, especially those pursuing medicine or STEM. It’s my way of reaching back.
For the woman who feels overwhelmed and unseen, what do you want her to know right now?
You are not alone. Every woman has felt what you’re feeling. The key is to take the next small step—and don’t do it alone. Find your tribe. Build your support system. You’re not meant to carry it all by yourself.
Follow Dr. Kre on Instagram @doctorkre
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