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As Black History Month comes to a close, we want to thank everyone who has celebrated with us this year.

We held 12 Black His/Herstory Month events throughout the month of February, and are so grateful for all our organizers, community partners, presenters and attendees. If you missed any events, some recordings can be found here.

The Black History Month 2021 theme, “Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity” explores the African diaspora, and the spread of Black families across the United States. This year’s theme is a particularly appropriate subject for reflection for our school community, as we review and further our commitment to understanding people’s individual health through the lens of race, gender orientation, culture, family and socio-economic risk factors. Please take the time this month – and every day of every month – to practice listening to one another and building the empathy we all need to overcome the barriers and divisions that keep us from the “unity” implied in the word “community,” to be passionate about equity in medicine, and to be present in the moment and to recall the requirements of global citizenry.

Pictured: On Feb. 6, representatives from Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine joined Black Scranton Project to raise the Pan-African Flag at an annual event held at Scranton City Hall. Speakers from GCSOM included: Vicki T. Sapp, PhD, director of Student Engagement, Diversity and Inclusion and assistant professor; Oluwaseyi Olulana, MBS ’19, MD Class of 2024 and president of Student National Medical Association; and Richard Sofoluke, MBS ’18, MD Class of 2023 and president of the Association of Multicultural Students in Medicine.

Vicki T. Sapp, PhD, and Oluwaseyi Olulana, MD Class of 2024, at the Pan-African Flag raising at Scranton City Hall in 2021.
Vicki T. Sapp, PhD, director of Student Engagement, Diversity and Inclusion and assistant professor, and Oluwaseyi Olulana, MBS ’19, MD Class of 2024 and president of Student National Medical Association, participate in Black Scranton Project's Pan-African Flag raising event held at Scranton City Hall on Feb. 6. 
Richard Sofoluke, MD Class of 2023, at the Pan-African Flag raising at Scranton City Hall in 2021.
Richard Sofoluke, MBS ’18, MD Class of 2023 and president of the Association of Multicultural Students in Medicine, participates in Black Scranton Project's Pan-African Flag raising event held at Scranton City Hall on Feb. 6.