Keck Medicine of USC celebrates Juneteenth

On June 19, the Black Leaders and Colleagues at Keck Medicine of USC (B.L.A.C.K. Med) employee resource group for Black and African American employees, honored Juneteenth with a flag-raising ceremony at Keck Medical Center, followed by a celebration with food, music, dancing and local vendors.

The history of Juneteenth

On June 19, Juneteenth celebrations at Keck Medical Center opened with a flag-raising ceremony. (Photo/Ricardo Carrasco III)

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when the Union army gave the order emancipating enslaved Africans and their descendants in Galveston Bay, TX, over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

As explained by B.L.A.C.K. Med in their Juneteenth tool kit, “Although the Emancipation Proclamation issued in September 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln had officially outlawed slavery in states in rebellion against the Union, enforcement of the proclamation generally relied on the advancement of Union troops. It would take over two years for enforcement to reach Texas.”

While more people of all races are becoming aware of Juneteenth each year, it has a history of being overlooked in our nation’s history.

Michelle Sullivan, PT, DPT, MBA, a co-chair of B.L.A.C.K. Med and associate administrator of ancillary services at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital, shared that she and her family never celebrated Juneteenth when she was growing up in Pasadena, California.

Like many Black and African American people not raised in the South, Sullivan wasn’t aware of the holiday until the murder of George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer catalyzed the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, which were accompanied by a wave of increased Black history awareness shared by people of all races across the country.

In 2021, President Joe Biden signed a resolution into law that made Juneteenth a federal holiday.

Raising the Juneteenth flag

For Sullivan and other members of B.L.A.C.K. Med, the flag-raising ceremony was a profoundly moving experience.

Rod Hanners, CEO of Keck Medicine of USC, with leaders and members of B.L.A.C.K Med (Black Leaders and Colleagues at Keck Medicine)

Rod Hanners, CEO of Keck Medicine of USC, with leaders and members of B.L.A.C.K Med. (Photo/Ricardo Carrasco III)

“You get emotional when you see the Juneteenth flag being raised and you’re listening to the Black National Anthem, ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing,’ playing in the background,” said Sullivan. “It is one of those moments where you reflect back on how far we’ve come as a people.”

Keck Medicine CEO Rod Hanners and other members of leadership attended the event, which was led by the B.L.A.C.K. Med leadership with participation from Sullivan, Shannon Bradley, MBA, chief diversity and inclusion officer for Keck Medicine, Joi Torrence-Hill, MHA, chief of operations at USC Norris Cancer Hospital, Tadren Kennedy, MPH, MBA, chief operating officer at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital, Gregory Taylor II, MD, Teresa Cook, MEd, assistant dean of educational administration at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, and Dustin Baker co-chair of B.L.A.C.K. Med.

“We’re very fortunate to have exceptional leaders who understand the importance of having ERGs to support and create a sense of belonging for our employees so that we have safe spaces and opportunities where we can come together and celebrate our culture and diversity,” Sullivan said.

A day of celebration

Following the ceremony, a celebration on the HC3 lower patio provided soul food, music by DJ JONDOE, line dancing, spoken-word performances by Sun Whoa and a market of black-owned businesses and community outreach groups, including:

Keck Medicine of USC's Juneteenth celebration on the Health Sciences Campus

A celebration followed the flag-raising at Keck Medical Center. (Photo/Ricardo Carrasco III)

Shepherd’s Door, an organization that provides education and resources for individuals experiencing domestic violence.

Breastfeed LA, which offers information and resources for expectant and breastfeeding mothers.

Bobbie Miché, creator of fragrances, perfumes and oils.

Lush Hills Candle Co., specializing in luxury handcrafted candles.

Those who attended the June 18 celebration at USC-VHH enjoyed the same food, music, spoken word, dancing and almost all of the same vendors. On June 20 at USC Arcadia Hospital, B.L.A.C.K. Med set up an information table with giveaways including Juneteenth buttons and bracelets, as well as B.L.A.C.K. Med swag.

“We really appreciate all of our B.L.A.C.K. Med leaders, who worked hard to put this together, especially Joi Torrence-Hill, Dustin Baker and Dr. Aneesah Smith, as well as Julia Smith in the office of DEI under Shannon Bradley,” Sullivan said. “We also want to recognize the Althea Alexander African Heritage IRG for being our partner for the Keck event and for sponsoring the DJ.”

B.L.A.C.K. Med — a group where all are welcome

B.L.A.C.K. Med had information tables and giveaways set up at USC-VHH, Keck Medical Center and USC-AH. (Photo/Courtesy of B.L.A.C.K. Med)

Sullivan shared that all who are interested are welcome to join B.L.A.C.K. Med, which hosts informational sessions on topics such as budgeting and diabetes prevention and management; speaker series on Black maternal health; conversations with Black executive leaders and their journey to the C-Suite; participation in community service projects; and collaborative events with other ERGs, all while providing a sense of community and belonging for all of its members.

“When you’re around people — and it doesn’t have to be people of the same ethnicity — and you feel comfortable, you don’t have to explain, you can let your hair down and just be you, it just feels like a warm hug to me,” Sullivan said. “That’s what our ERG is all about. Giving people an opportunity to have a sense of connection, sense of belonging, where they can just be.”

To learn more about B.L.A.C.K. Med, click here. Scroll down for additional photos of the Juneteenth celebrations.

— Kate Faye