NEW YORK, (February 15, 2022) – Caroline Barrett, SanovaWorks Chief Operations Officer
Black History Month 2022 | Black Health and Wellness
As we celebrate Black History Month 2022 we recall and acknowledge the accomplishments of Black Americans–and enlighten others to those accomplishments that are not widely known.
“This year’s theme Black Health and Wellness pays homage to medical scholars and health care providers. The theme is especially timely as we enter the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has disproportionately affected minority communities and placed unique burdens on Black health care professionals.”
Black History Month is not just a celebration of accomplishments by Black American women and men, but an acknowledgment of the adversity they faced. It honors the contributions and sacrifices of Black Americans who have helped shape the nation – to celebrate triumphs and equally as important to acknowledge the adversities are an indelible part of our country’s history.
“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”—MARCUS GARVEY
Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
SanovaWorks is committed to holding equity and inclusion at the core of the work we do:
- Equity in patients’ access to qualified dermatology healthcare providers
- Inclusive and diverse education on dermatologic diseases in all skin tones
- Equity in dermatology healthcare providers’ access to leadership and career advancement opportunities
- Inclusive recruitment of employees, contractors, and vendors
- Embracing equity and inclusion into our company vision and mission and fostering it as a core value
Onesimus is one of the “Best Bostonians of All Time”
As we celebrate Black History Month, we can highlight one of the lesser-known stories of African American accomplishment is that of Onesimus. Onesimus was an enslaved African man who lived during the late 1600s to 1700s. His story is currently a timely one to celebrate. Onesimus was instrumental in the mitigation of the impact of a smallpox outbreak in Boston, Massachusetts. His birth name is unknown. He was enslaved and, in 1706, was given to the New England Puritan minister Cotton Mather, who renamed him. Onesimus introduced Mather to the principle and procedure of inoculation to prevent the disease, which laid the foundation for the development of vaccines. After a smallpox outbreak began in Boston in 1721, Mather used this knowledge to advocate for inoculation in the population, a practice that eventually spread to other colonies. In a 2016 Boston magazine survey, Onesimus was declared one of the “Best Bostonians of All Time”.
REFERENCE:
Forgotten Faces of Black History
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: The Sum of Our Differences is Greatness
Why is Black History Month in February? – NPR
Pictured: Solomon Carter Fuller, Daniel Hale Williams, Mae Jemison, Jane Cooke Wright, Michelle Obama, Onesimus, Henrietta Lacks