Wednesday, February 9, 2022
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Greer Transitions Clinic celebrates Black achievement during daily huddle
A special moment highlighting the contributions of Black Americans is happening daily at the Greer Transitions Clinic.
During the team’s routine morning meeting, Clinic Director Amanda Biondi shares a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fact related to Black achievement in honor of Black History Month. Doctor, engineer and NASA astronaut Mae Jemison Mae C. Jemison was highlighted on Tuesday.
“If you can see them, you can be them,” Biondi said of the STEM heroes. “If we go out and talk about people in STEM, perhaps we can get you excited about STEM programs.”
This is just one of the myriad of ways Roper St. Francis Healthcare is honoring Black History Month.
“We celebrate Black History Month as an opportunity to honor Black achievement, recognize systemic racism where it persists and salute those creating real change,” said Dr. Michael Moxley, the vice president and chief diversity, inclusion and health equity officer. “We’re proud to be a diverse work environment reflective of our beautiful community, and we are committed to embracing and promoting a culture of inclusion, where differences are valued, respected and sought after.”
During February, the healthcare system is highlighting Black change makers – for example artists and businesses – who live and operate in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties in messages to teammates.
The Greer Transitions Clinic serves unfunded and/or underfunded patients who do not have a medical home or place to receive the care and provides the support they need to live healthy lives. Many of its patients are Black. Although Biondi shares STEM facts year-round, focusing on Black Americans’ STEM accomplishments in February is a small but significant way to help the clinic team build connections with patients.
“Part of the mission of this Clinic is to ensure that we look at health equitably across our system and our community and so it’s important for us to be able to relate to our patient population and understand what’s going on in their lives – the struggles and the barriers may have,” Biondi said. “It’s my mission and our healthcare mission to employ people from our community who understand our patients.”