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If not now, when? Downstate Students Host 2nd Annual Racial Justice Conference
 2020 has shaped up to be a year unlike anything we could have ever expected.听 It has
been a year marked by a series of astounding, historic, and life-altering events鈥攆irst
with the unwelcome arrival of the novel coronavirus, then with the horrific killing
of George Floyd, and most recently civil unrest.
Still, I think it鈥檚 important for all of us to remember that from our greatest pain,
comes even greater progress. The heinous act at the hands of law enforcement that
left Mr. Floyd lifeless sparked global outrage, which then inspired healthy and long
overdue cross-cultural discourse, and ultimately awakened the consciousness of a nation
whose aspirational tenets have been arrested by a darker, untold history.
Here at Downstate, it further energized an already enlightened group seeking to use
their platforms and passions to spur real change鈥攐ur remarkable students. Last month,
students in the College of Medicine boldly stepped into the conversation by virtually
holding the 鈥�
Despite social distancing protocols in place, more than 100 members from the Downstate
Community participated in the event鈥攋oining a powerful dialogue between healthcare
providers, organization leaders, and community members seeking to address the incredible
health inequities and disparities in black and brown men and women that continue to
be underscored by the tragic health outcomes of these communities throughout the COVID-19
pandemic.
Designed to identify steps at the institutional level that have the 鈥�potential to transform the social, political, and economic systems that create and
perpetuate these disparities into systems that enable communities to thrive鈥濃�攐ur students developed a dynamic program that touched on all aspects of racial injustice
in medical education and in clinical settings that require the attention of the nation,
but moreover collective, unified action from the healthcare community that has the
most direct opportunity to be a catalyst for change and a driver of health equity.
 The event was keynoted by听Ezelle Sanford III, PhD, a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Program on Race, Science, and Society (PRSS)
at the University of Pennsylvania, manager of the Penn Medicine and the Afterlives
of Slavery project (PMAS), and author of the soon-to-be-published, Segregated Medicine:听 How Racial Politics Shaped American Health Care.
In addition to Dr. Sanford鈥檚 presentation, sessions also explored topics such as the
medical field and its intersections with the prison system and the drug war; trauma-informed
approaches to equalizing power dynamics in the clinical space; direct advocacy for
healthcare equity and justice; and national grassroots efforts to promote a bold new
comprehensive pandemic prevention initiative.
It鈥檚 events like these that truly demonstrate the spirit of our student body, the
humanity-driven passion they have for their chosen paths, and the collective influence
they have in inspiring change and justice at the most critical levels.听 Regardless
of whether or not news networks continue to cover the movement, the power behind their
voices and their ambitions to be great equalizers in the communities we serve aren鈥檛
dying down, and I can鈥檛 begin to share how humbled and proud I am of the values and
virtues each of them embodies.
Many thanks to听the our students in听Downstate's White Coats for Black Lives group听and every participating student in our College of Medicine, and across this campus,
for their timely activism and for organizing such a meaningful and successful dialogue.
I鈥檇 also like to thank听Carla Boutin-Foster, M.D., MS, Associate Dean of Diversity Education and Research, who co-leads the College of
惭别诲颈肠颈苍别鈥檚 Health Equity Advocacy Leadership (HEAL) curriculum pathway with听Christopher Roman, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Medicine and Vice Chair of Cell Biology as well as Jeffrey Putman, Ed.D., Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, for supporting and guiding the advocacy
efforts of our student body.
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Mary Hickey, Ed.D., WHNP-BC, FNP-BS, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Faculty Development, congratulated graduates
for their persistence and passionate commitment to the field. She highlighted what
she wanted graduates to remember throughout their professional journeys. Quoting American
poet, Maya Angelou, Dr. Hickey underscored that 鈥�people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will
never forget how you made them feel.鈥�
A highlight in the program came from the graduating student speaker, Shaka Harper, who proudly exclaimed, 鈥�We made it, we made it, WE MADE IT鈥� can you believe it?鈥� He later reminded his fellow classmates that despite these uncertain times, so long
as they remain steadfast in their value systems that have prepared them to be amazing
nurses, every graduate will be the 鈥�change we wish to see.鈥�
Barbara Kitchener, Ph.D., RN, Assistant Professor, then led the Pinning Ceremony and provided history about the tradition for graduates
within the Accelerated BS in Nursing Program, the RN Baccalaureate Program, the Family
Nurse Practitioner Program, the Women鈥檚 Health Nurse Practitioner Program, and the
Advanced Certificate in Nursing Education Program.
I am pleased to announce that Daniel Ehlke, Ph.D., MA, will serve as Interim Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management in
the School of Public Health. Dr. Ehlke鈥檚 appointment follows the recent retirement of Karen Benker, M.D., MPH, who served as Department Chair. In his new role, Dr. Ehlke will oversee the educational,
research, and service missions of the department during a time of significant growth
for the school.听
The National Perinatal Association Student Society (NPASS)鈥攁 student organization
under its parent organization, the National Perinatal Association鈥攊s the first-ever
student听arm of the organization that听provides students across the health professions
critically valuable听interdisciplinary education, scholarship, and advocacy.
From April through June of this year鈥攄uring the peak of the pandemic in New York City鈥攁
group of Downstate NPASS members authored critical perinatal research and created
a NICU Cuddling Education Guide to submit for publication. The Research was conducted to establish NICU cuddling
programs at hospitals where they were not in place, and to improve programs at hospital
that currently employ them. The development of a Cuddling Training Guide will provide
education and allow future NPASS members to be trained in cuddling in the NICU at
Kings County Hospital.
