The Civil Rights War of 2020 was sparked by the recurring tragedies that occur between law enforcement and black citizens through the untimely death of George Floyd. Since then, the Black Lives Matter movement has highlighted several other unfortunate, unnecessary events worldwide. One of those topics being the treatment of black patients within the healthcare system. To this day, data has proven the inequitable treatment of black patients within healthcare systems/organizations across the country. From the way patients are treated within these systems to the life or death decisions being made by providers which determine their health and failure to provide adequate healthcare.
Our expert panelists in this discussion are Ronny Bell, Ph.D; Cedrick Bright, MD; and Cornell Wright, MBA. This conversation will be moderated by Calvin Gardner, MBA from Stamford University.

Asheville, North Carolina made national headlines on major news outlets in July 2020 as City Council members voted to pass a reparation bill to black residents. The Asheville City Council apologized for the city’s historic role in slavery, discrimination and denial of basic liberties to black residents and voted to provide reparations to them and their descendants.

Within all the topics of reparations, healthcare has been named a Public Health Crisis. Major insurance corporations including Medicare have begun integrating social determinates of health as a way of incentivizing providers and healthcare organizations to better secure the health and well-being of black patients.
Local Asheville natives, Jacquelyn Hallum, MBA, MHA; Darin Waters, PhD.; and Sharon West, RN will share in the discussion of what reparations in healthcare looks like for black citizens who have suffered discrimination within the healthcare industry from a patient, caregiver, and healthcare employee perspective. This conversation will be moderated by William R. Hathaway, MD, FACC, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of the North Carolina Division of HCA / Mission Health.

Among all of the health disparities that plague African Americans, mental health could arguably be in the top five. Data suggests that the historical Black and African American experience in America continues to be categorized by trauma (historical and current) and violence.

This conversation will include discussion of the stigma of mental health support which causes African Americans to feel ashamed for seeking help, display and discuss the data around suicide rates in comparison to other races, and provide professional advice to behavioral health providers and mental health workers on the importance of access to care and continued mental health support.
The panelists for this event will be Victor Armstrong; C. Jason Branch, Ph.D., and Tyrice McCoy, MA. The conversation will be moderated by national mental health Life Coach and comedian, Leo Flowers.

This special bonus session is a continuation of our conversation around mental health and the Black patient. We will continue the conversation with Victor Armstrong, MSW, Director of the North Carolina Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services; and Jason Branch, Ph.D, Assistant Professor at Monmouth University and Mental Health Provider in West Long Branch, New Jersey.
This session will be moderated by Leslie Council Lake, Marketing and Sales Manager for the Department of Continuing Professional Development at MAHEC. Leslie is also an Equity Consultant and the CEO of My Sistah Taught Me That, a mentoring program for young girls in Western North Carolina

One of the greatest attributions to the health many African Americans is their strong faith that has carried them through a multitude of trials and tribulations. The role of the black church has been prominent in the majority of African American households in one way or another. Many religious organizations and affiliations were formed in an era where rights and freedom for healthcare, education, and other means of successful living were not yet granted to African Americans. It was their faith that gave them the strength to endure their individual battles.
On Friday, December 4th at Noon, we will discuss the role the black church has played historically through today with Pastor Alaysia Black Hackett, Senior Pastor of The Leviticus Church in Richmond, Virginia, Reverend Dr. Nathan Scovens, Pastor of Galilee Missionary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Pastor Kaycee Lewis, Pastor of The River of Life Church in Asheville, North Carolina.

Back by popular demand! The session on the Role of the Black Church in Healthcare was so well received! We ran out of time and couldn’t answer all the questions. Join the conversation again on January 5th at Noon with Pastor Nathan Scovens, Pastor Alaysia Black Hackett, and Bishop Kaycee Lewis, moderated by Odell Dickerson, Jr.

Black women carry the weight of the world on their shoulders and are often overlooked for their symptoms from heart disease to childbirth and everywhere in between. Too many Black women are dying from pregnancy, childbirth, mental health issues, breast cancer and so much more. Data has proven that when Black women present with the same symptoms and/or complaints as their white counterparts, they are less likely to receive the same type of care. Instead, they are spoken to disrespectfully, ignored, and often mistreated to the point of losing their life.
On Friday, January 15th at Noon, we will discuss Black women’s health with Dr. William “Bill” Gist, Program Director of the OB/GYN Department at Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC); Dr. Donya Wallace, of Donya Wallace Counseling and Consulting, LLC; and Mrs. Wanda Irving from Dr. Shalon’s Maternal Action Project.

In honor of Black History Month, our February webinar session will be focused on the effects of historical trauma in Black patients. In healthcare, Black patients have suffered traumatic events from being used in medical trials without consent, to having the worst outcomes from treatments that white patients benefit from. There are data that have proven disparities have not improved, but rather have remained the same over the course of centuries or become tragically worse.
This conversation will be moderated by one of MAHEC’s honor students, Seth Bellamy. Seth is a high school student who is in his senior year and is participating in the Medical Minority Mentoring Program. Our speakers are Kimberly Knight, MSW, LCSWA from the Orange County Department on Aging in Raleigh, North Carolina; Frederick Murphy, LCMHC from Atrium Health and Founder of the History Before Us Project in Charlotte, North Carolina; and Felicia Hipp, MSN, RN, CNE, Chief of Clinical Operations and Director of Nursing at MAHEC.

Lifestyle Medicine, Preventive Medicine, and Natural/Holistic Medicine are pathways to decreasing long term health issues for all patients. Within the African American population of patients in particular, there are many opportunities to avoid the statistical data around terminal illnesses while utilizing preventative practices. Join us for a discussion on the newest advancements in Lifestyle Medicine on March 12th at Noon.
This session will be moderated by Dr. Brian Asbill, Board Certified Lifestyle Medicine Cardiologist who is launching a new practice this year. Our panelists are Dr. Chanda Macias, CEO and owner of National Holistic Healing Center (NHHC); Dr. Andra Sullivan, owner of Dr. Sullivan Center for National Healing in Washington, DC; and Lourdes Lorenz-Miller, visionary of Healing Integrative Health Care and Project ECHO Manager at MAHEC in Asheville, NC.

History has shown that for centuries, Black men and women have been targeted within their communities to enter the penal system in one way or another. There are many disparities against Black men and women that have created a heightened awareness over the last few years, especially June 2020 when the video of George Floyd’s death circulated across the country. So many names continue to be honored across the country to call out police brutality towards Black men and women. To this day, there men and women who remain imprisoned for minor offenses, or were wrongfully accused, while others are given lesser sentences or less harsh punishments after committing the same crimes.
This session will be moderated by Mr. Michael Hayes, CEO and Founder of Umoja Health and Wellness Center. Our panelists include Ms. Dominique Goodmond, CEO and Founder of Correctional Views in Raleigh, NC; Dr. Shuchin Shukla, Faculty Physician and Opiod Educator at MAHEC in Asheville, NC; and Ms. Belinda Gillespie, NC Certified Peer Support Specialist in the Department of Psychiatry at MAHEC in Asheville, NC

Recruiting Black providers is a challenging task in America. While there are numerous pipeline programs into medicine, the reality is that the challenges and barriers that Black people face entering the field of medicine often detours them from reaching their goals. On the other hand, for those who have maintained their course and are successfully working in the field of medicine as providers, retaining them within certain areas of the country and in some health systems is an even more difficult task.
This session will be moderated by Evodie Versulien, MD, 2nd year Family Medicine Resident at Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) in Asheville, NC. Our panelists are Marc Duverseau, MD 5th Year General Surgery Resident at Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) in Asheville, NC; LaTonya Summers, PhD, Assistant Professor at Jacksonville University and Founder of the Black Mental Health Symposium in Jacksonville, FL; and Harold Campbell, MD, 5th Year General Surgery Resident at Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) in Asheville, NC.

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death for African American patients across the United States. There are many contributing factors and many facets of this disease, including hypertension, cholesterol, diabetes, just to name a few. Join us on Friday, June 11th at Noon to hear from experts across the country provide dialogue around heart diseases and tools and tips toward how our medical community can address this healthcare disparity among African American patients.
The moderator for this session is Francisco Castelblanco, DNP, RN, Chair of the Department of Continuing Professional Development at Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC), and Adjuct Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing. Our panelists are Jan Pattanayak, MD, FACC, Interventional Cardiologist at Asheville Cardiology Associates; Robin Smith, RDCS, RCCS, FASE, CEO and owner of Cardiovascular Concepts in Summerville, South Carolina; and Alfred Gorman, CEO and President of Apex Heart Health in Savannah, Georgia.

According to The Black Men’s Health Project, Black Men are 30% more likely to die from heart disease, 60% more likely to die from stroke than non-Hispanic white men, 75% less likely to have health insurance than white men, and 9 times more likely to die from AIDS. For too long there has not been a lot of research and data that help to support Black Men that could help towards breaking down the barriers of their care.
Join us on Friday, July 16th at Noon to discuss the impact of disease on Black Men. This session will be moderated by Dr. Marc Duverseau, a recent graduate of MAHEC’s General Surgery Residency Program. Our panelists are Dr. Quinton Cancel, Urological Surgeon at Mission Urology in Asheville, NC; Dr. Harold “Woody” Neighbors, Scientific Advisor at the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities in Bethesda, Maryland; and Dr. Vincent Sevier, Chief Medical Officer for Methodist Hospitals in Gary and Merrillville, Indiana.

“Webinar Series Reflections & Symposium Overview," will be held on Friday, September 10. This session will provide an opportunity for MAHEC leaders and conference developers to discuss some of the highlights from the webinars that have taken place over the last year. We will also talk about what you can expect at our 1st Annual Symposium. You will learn more about our featured speakers, special events, and our pre-session Simulation Center experience.
This session will be moderated by Leslie Council Lake, CPLC, Marketing and Sales Manager for the Department of Continuing Professional Development, and Equity Consultant at MAHEC. Speakers include Daniel Frayne, MD, President and Family Medicine Physician at MAHEC; Felicia Hipp, MSN, RN, CNE, Chief of Clinical Operations and Director of Nursing at MAHEC; and Francisco Castelblanco, DNP, RN, Chair of the Department of Continuing Professional Development at MAHEC.

The Asheville African American Health Symposium began as a webinar series in September 2020 with monthly educational sessions. These sessions lead up to this in-person, three-day symposium with a pre-symposium simulation experience at Mountain Area Health Education Center’s state-of-the-art Simulation Center.
The goal of this first annual national symposium is to have healthcare providers apply learned, evidence-based strategies from African American healthcare leaders across the nation in an effort to continue improving the health of African Americans. This symposium will increase knowledge and awareness of racism as a healthcare crisis, analyze healthcare disparities affecting our Black communities, and examine the causes of these disparities, including addressing implicit bias, historical trauma, and lack of diversity within the healthcare workforce.