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A special message from the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Team
June 19 – Juneteenth – is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth celebrations date back to 1866 and have historically been observed with festivals celebrating African American traditions. Today, Juneteenth is often observed with an emphasis on African American education and achievement.
In cities across the U.S., people of all backgrounds and cultures will observe Juneteenth as both a celebration and a time to acknowledge a horrific period in our history that continues to haunt and betray our aspirations for freedom, equality, and justice for all. A greater understanding of our history and the experiences of all those who helped shape it can help advance equity, inclusion, and social justice diversity in our communities and our country.
There are several ways for KP people to participate and gain a deeper understanding of both Juneteenth and the life perspectives of black KP employees and physicians:
Celebrate Juneteenth with KPAAPA: Despite INJUSTICE, We Still THRIVE!
Join the Kaiser Permanente African American Professional Association (KPAAPA) [2] to learn about the significance of Juneteenth. Sponsored by a partnership between National Equity, Inclusion and Diversity and Enterprise Learning.
Friday June 19, 2020; 12 -1 pm
Click here to join at the time of the event [3]
(Event will stream live on Teams; use you KP SSO login)
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Listen – Connect – Share: KPSC Racial Equity Listening Sessions
Three upcoming opportunities to attend and participate in these WebEx events. More info and login links here [4] or in your email inbox.
- Tuesday, June 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, June 23 from 12:45 to 1:45 p.m.
- Monday, June 29 from 7 to 8 a.m
- In Recognition of Juneteenth – article on About KP [5].
- “If You Stop At What You See, You’re Going To Miss The Best Parts Of Me” [6] -Recording of June 12th presentation by Greg Adams and other leaders in KP and in fields related to equity and social justice. (Teams recording – use your KP SSO login credentials)
- National Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Website [7]
- SCAL Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Website [8]
- A Curated Resource List [9] – suggested actions, books, articles, webinars, and videos on racial equity and social justice.
- What you Can Do to Help African-Americans Right Now – A terrific blog post [10] by Noel True, Director, MultiMedia, Kaiser Permanente Southern California
- Lift Every Voice and Sing – About [11] the “Black national anthem;” Beyonce’s rendition [12] and Aretha Franklin’s. [13]
- Check your local intranet site for additional dialogues, listening sessions, and Juneteenth events in your medical center.