Tanya Ambrose, an Antiguan public health professional and founder of the non-profit Scrub Life Cares, has been named to the esteemed Future of Black America Top 50 list for 2025.
Released annually during Black History Month by POCSTOCK, the list recognizes visionary Black leaders making significant impacts in their fields.
She is being honoured alongside luminaries such as Emmy Award-winning actor Sterling K. Brown, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, and Grammy-winning artist and tech entrepreneur Will.I.Am.
Ambrose — who holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from Georgia State University in the US and is pursuing a Master’s degree from the University of South Carolina – expressed her pride at the recognition while still processing its magnitude.
“I am feeling proud, I will say that, but I don’t think I’ve quite processed the magnitude of what this means for me as a person in public health in general,” she said.
Through Scrub Life Cares, Ambrose advances menstrual and reproductive health education, promotes health equity, and supports underserved communities in Antigua and Barbuda, her home country, as well as in South Carolina where she currently resides.
The organization’s impactful work and Ambrose’s additional roles as a Certified Lactation Counselor, Birth and Postpartum Doula, and host of the Tea with Tanya Podcast focusing on women’s wellness, made her stand out to the list’s selection committee.
She believes this prestigious accolade will elevate the profile of Scrub Life Cares, opening doors to expanded impact and sustainability.
“It just brings that visibility on myself or the organization, and that would be a positive outlook for us to continue the work that we’re doing in the community,” she noted. “It’ll bring more grant funding opportunities for us to sustain the programs both in Antigua and here in South Carolina.”
Scrub Life Cares has ambitious plans for 2025, including developing a comprehensive reproductive and mental health curriculum for schools, hosting its signature “For Women By Women” health experience in Antigua on May 24th, and a “Yoga on the Beach” wellness event on April 5th which focusses on mindfulness in reproductive and mental health.
For Ambrose, being named to the Future of Black America list as an Antiguan further validates the significance of her work.
“Even when you think someone is not watching, there’s always someone watching,” she reflected. “Everything that I do, Antigua is always at the forefront and I’m just happy that I can be a daughter from the soil being named on this list.”
While the honour is undoubtedly a proud personal achievement, she remains focused on the work ahead.
“I’m not doing it to be recognized; I’m doing it genuinely just to propel and move my community forward,” she said.
