Keck Medicine of USC staff watch the ceremonial raising of the Juneteenth flag on June 19, 2025.

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

For many members of B.L.A.C.K. Med, the Juneteenth flag-raising ceremony is a profound experience. In addition to its history, Juneteenth is considered the longest-running African American holiday and has been referred to as America’s second Independence Day.

The holiday, whose name derives from a combination of “June” and “nineteenth,” is commemorated on the anniversary of Union Army General Gordon Granger’s order proclaiming freedom for enslaved people in Galveston Bay, Texas, on June 19, 1865. Although the Emancipation Proclamation issued in September 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln had officially outlawed slavery in states in active rebellion against the Union, enforcement of the proclamation generally fell on advancing Union troops. It would take over two years for enforcement to reach the state of Texas.

A day of celebration

Festivities included B.L.A.C.K. Med swag and a chance to spin a prize wheel. (Photo/Ricardo Carrasco III)

Keck Medicine of USC’s ceremonial flag raising began at 10:30 a.m. and was attended by B.L.A.C.K. Med leaders, members and supporters. Speakers included Shannon Bradley, MBA, Keck Medicine’s chief of health equity and inclusion; Kelly (Kel) Loftis, DSW, LCSW, the organization’s director of social services; and Teresa Cook, MEd, assistant dean of educational administration for the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

Following the ceremony, a celebration on the HC3 lower patio provided refreshments, music by a live DJ, a prize wheel, a photo booth and B.L.A.C.K. Med swag. B.L.A.C.K. Med members also provided all guests with information on their employee resource group and encouraged them to join.

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

B.L.A.C.K. Med prides itself on being a group where all Keck Medicine employees are welcome. (Photo/Dustin Baker)

B.L.A.C.K. Med came to fruition in 2022 as part of an initial set of six ERGs. The groups are voluntary, employee-led associations where the Keck Medicine workforce can join together in light of common demographics, backgrounds and interests. The goal of the organization’s ERGs is to foster a culture of safety, recognition and inclusion within health system work environments.

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; a 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.

Earlier this year, the organization led a highly successful book drive in support of Pasadena Rosebud Academy, a transitional kindergarten-8th grade school that was destroyed in the January 2025 Eaton fire.

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

— Kate Faye

(Photos/Ricardo Carrasco III and Dustin Baker)