Rogers recognizes Black History Month with first-ever celebration

03/23/21 03:39:pm

Rogers Behavioral Health held its first-ever, systemwide celebration of Black History Month with a livestreamed event for all team members on February 25.

Hosted by Karen Nelson, director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, the presentation included keynote addresses on “Intersectionality in the Black Community Related to LGBTQ+ Identities” and “Historical Trauma at the Intersection of Race and Mental Health.”

Elle Hill, inclusion health program specialist for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, spoke on the former, sharing her perspective as a Black woman of trans experience and a dedicated LGBTQ health equity advocate and educator.

Hill encouraged attendees to support the LGBTQ+ community by listening and being patient, advocating for LGBTQ+ policies, and standing up for LGBTQ+ people when speaking with homophobic or transphobic friends, family, and colleagues. She also recommended people offer their pronouns when introducing themselves to make others feel comfortable in sharing theirs.

Reggie Jackson, co-founder and lead trainer/consultant for the consulting firm Nurturing Diversity Partners, delivered the latter address, focusing on collective trauma, the white racial frame, and the need to reassess how we look at trauma and treat it. For instance, he said instead of asking “What’s wrong with you?” we should ask “What happened to you?”

“People from different marginalized communities have very specific types of trauma they deal with,” Jackson said. “We can’t use a one-size fits all model, which is what we’ve used for such a long period of time, because it simply doesn’t work.”

In addition to the speeches, Rogers’ Black History Month celebration included an introduction of leaders from the Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) Employee Research Group (ERG) and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, Plus Other Identities (LGBTQIA+) ERG.

Rogers’ BIPOC ERG leaders:

Delora Putnam-Bryant, experiential therapist II
Jolynn Carriveau, care advocate
Rosa Del Carmen Pacheco Uscanga, therapist

Rogers’ LGBTQIA+ ERG leaders:

Ellie Fisher, behavioral specialist
Bree Horrocks, behavioral specialist

Lastly, the presentation featured a performance of the Black national anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” led by Janice Marion, unit secretary of the Dialectical Behavior Therapy Mental Health Recovery adolescent intensive outpatient program.

Nelson, who also gave the welcome address featuring a history of the month, said that it’s important for Rogers to hold celebrations for events like Black History Month and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day to keep history relevant.

“As a behavioral health organization, we must not shrink away from but lean into understanding the trauma that being Black has invoked in this country since 1619,” Nelson says. “Learn and share Black history facts within your circles of influence. It’s not just Black History—it’s American History.”

Stay tuned for more details on Rogers’ multicultural calendar of events, including the next virtual celebration recognizing Women’s History Month on March 30 at 3:30 pm. For more information on Rogers’ equity initiatives, visit the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion page on Rogers Connect.

Did You Know?

Black History Month started in 1926 as Negro History Week.
The first official celebration took place in 1976 on the 50th anniversary.
It is held in February in recognition of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass’ birthdays.