Dr Robinson was born in Camden NJ in 1954, the fourth of six children. Her father was in the army, and her mother worked as meat cutter, so all the children chipped In to help run the family. They had duty rosters and did their daily chores before spending time on Baseball or riding bikes.

Edweana attended Baltimore Public schools, and says one of her best experiences was attending the all female Western High School. The teachers were all women and encouraged the students to exceed expectations.

Her mother and her 10th grade English teachers were her mentors. The both gave her the power to choose her educational path. Her mother worked when other mothers did not, and taught her to be self sufficient, and be able to care for herself and her children, independent of her spouse.

When she was in 6th grade a teacher told her women are nurses, not doctors. She replied that her mom said she could be anything she wanted!

At Morgan State University, she majored in chemistry. She graduated from Case School of medicine, went on to practice internal medicine, and after earning a Masters of Public Health, concurrently taught at Kent State University (40 years) and as the medical director of public safety for the city of Cleveland (34 years).

She believes we need to choose what is most important to us at certain phases in our lives. Some times it is education, sometimes career and sometimes family comes first. When they are young, kids do not care that you are a doctor. They want their parents.

While she did two high powered jobs at once, she scheduled her hours so she could be home with her children evenings and weekends. A highlight of her career was being a doctor and caring for her aging parents and being their advocate.

Her hobbies include working out, making blankets for gifts and cooking. Also reading historical novels and books that transport her to places she has never been.

She is appreciative of her parents because of the values they passed on to her, and her husband (also a doctor), for his intellect and compassion.

What has changed most for women is access to spaces previously denied, although she believes many are still denied opportunities because of gender bias. Her advice to young women today is to strive for what you want, and never lose yourself who you are in the process.