For Women’s History Month, we celebrate the extraordinary life and lasting legacy of Jessie Trice, a fearless advocate for women’s healthcare and a pioneer in community health services.
Trice was a true trailblazer in the community healthcare movement, dedicating her life to uplifting those in need. In 1967, recognizing the urgent lack of medical care in Miami’s Brownsville neighborhood, she took matters into her own hands, providing primary care services from a trailer.
“I remember when no one wanted to help her with her vision,” said Byron Trice, her grandson.
“The government thought it was something she shouldn’t be doing and there were challenges at every turn. But when I see her name on a building, I think of all the hurdles she overcame.”
A hands-on approach to healthcare
Trice’s mission was driven by her deep compassion for the medically underserved, particularly in Black and Latino communities. She took a hands-on approach, going door-to-door to ensure people received care—even personally driving them to appointments if necessary.
“That spirit of compassion ignited everything we stand for as an organization,” said Toni Thompson, chief ambulatory officer for the Jessie Trice Community Health System.
A lasting legacy of care and support
Today, the Jessie Trice Community Health System is a thriving nonprofit, federally qualified health center with multiple locations offering primary care, school-based clinics and university centers.
“We also offer a 24-hour substance use residential facility that Jessie established during the height of the crack cocaine epidemic, when our communities were losing their matriarchs. She refused to let that happen,” Thompson said.
The impact of her work continues to be felt by countless individuals, including Denise Deshazior, who credits the center with saving her life.
“Not only did they help me with my pregnancy, but they also embraced me when I was diagnosed with HIV and struggling with mental health and substance use,” Deshazior said. “I remember being homeless, eating out of garbage cans. Now, I walk away with dignity, integrity, and a future.”
Trice’s commitment to women and children extended beyond healthcare. She opened daycare centers and residential facilities for young mothers battling substance abuse.
“She was strong, smart and a true go-getter,” Deshazior recalled. “I admired how she carried herself—always dressed to impress, a real ‘silver fox.'”
A legacy that lives on
Though Jessie Collins Trice passed away in October 1999, her impact endures.
“The movement she started has endured through generations and we’re dedicated to sustaining it,” Thompson said. “People still tell us how she saved their lives by simply making sure they got to the doctor, helping to break generational curses.”
Her daughter, Valencia Trice Batiste, remains deeply grateful for the ongoing recognition of her mother’s work.
“Every time I see her name or hear someone reference her, I feel her presence. Even though she’s gone, her spirit is always with us,” she said.
As the first Black graduate of the University of Miami, Jessie Trice understood the healthcare challenges facing underserved communities. Her unwavering dedication to creating a brighter future for youth and mothers continues to uplift and transform lives across South Florida.
