Igniting Hope Conference.

Mobilizing Community Resources to Achieve Health Equity During a Global Pandemic

Saturday, August 15, 2020 | 8:00 am - 3:15 pm | Zoom

Alan J. Lesse, MD; RADM Richardae Araojo, PharmD, MS; and Raul Vazquez, MD, FAAFP (Keynote Speakers).

Keynote Speakers: Alan J. Lesse, MD; RADM Richardae Araojo, PharmD, MS; and Raul Vazquez, MD, FAAFP

Third annual, community-based multidisciplinary conference focused on the goal of building a culture of health as the cornerstone of a plan to end health disparities among African Americans in Buffalo. The COVID-19 pandemic has made health inequities even more pronounced. Join healthcare professionals, community leaders, community members, advocates, and faculty for a day devoted to deepening our understanding of how social determinants affect health outcomes and health research in the African American community and in other underrepresented groups.

Co-sponsored by the UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute, the UB Community Health Equity Research Institute, and the Buffalo Center for Health Equity. Media sponsor is Power 96.5. Community initiative sponsor is REACH: The Ferry Street Health & Wellness Project.

 

Registration is closed

View a recording of the conference below
Recording 1
Recording 2

Breakout Session Information and Links

Housing - View a recording here, (password - 2usy#d%B)
Lead Presenter: Marie Cannon, MSW – Commissioner, Erie County Department of Social Services
Student Support: Katelyn Rogers - facilitator, Temera Cross (reporter) and Matthew Zahn – scribes

Employment - View a recording here
Lead Presenter: Doris Carbonell-Medina, ESQ – Project Director, Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative (ESPRI); Co-Presenters: Julie Barrett-O’Neill, JD – Executive Director, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Buffalo, and Stephen Tucker, MBA – President & CEO – Workforce Training Center at Northland
Student Support: Sam Hidalgo – facilitator, Nonye Odukwe (reporter) and Rolando Cercone –scribes

Education – Back to School
Lead Presenter: Keli Koran Luchey, PhD – Crisis Counselor, Sweet Home High School; Co-Presenters: Kristina C. Jackson – Student Support Coach, Buffalo Public Schools, Kristina Torres – Early Warning Indicator Facilitator, Buffalo Public Schools, and Gellenia Smallwood – Director of Parent & Family Program, Say Yes Buffalo
Student Support: Aisha Townes – facilitator, Autum Carter (reporter) and Journee Robinson –scribes

Mental Health During the Pandemic - View a recording here
Lead Presenter: Kelly Wofford, Director of Community Relations, Erie County Medical Center, Minister, Impacting Love Global Ministry, and Founder, Front Seat Life
Student Support: Kristen Buell – facilitator, DeChantell Lloyd, (reporter) and Nancy Denis –scribes

Keynote Breakout Session (These will take place in the main Zoom/livestream)
Workshop1: Alan J. Lesse, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Senior Associate Dean for Curriculum, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences 
Workshop2: Timothy F. Murphy, MD, SUNY Distinguished Professor; Director, UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute; Director, UB Community Health Equity Research Institute
Workshop3: Raul Vazquez, MD, FAAFP, President and CEO, G-Health Enterprises
Student Support: Lewis Wong – facilitator, and Esha Chebola (reporter) – scribe

Agenda

8:00 a.m. Welcome and Introductions: Timothy F. Murphy MD, SUNY Distinguished Professor; Director, UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute; Director, UB Community Health Equity Research Institute

Opening Remarks: Satish K. Tripathi, President, University at Buffalo

8:15 a.m. Welcome and Introduction of George Nicholas, MDiv: Rita Hubbard Robinson, JD, CEO, NeuWater & Associates, LLC; Associate Director, UB Community Health Equity Research Institute

Perspective and Report on Progress: George Nicholas, MDiv, Co-Convener, African American Health Equity Task Force; Chair, Buffalo Center for Health Equity

8:45 a.m. Keynote Speaker No. 1: Alan J. Lesse, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Senior Associate Dean for Curriculum, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences — “The COVID-19 Pandemic: A Magnifying Lens for Health Disparities”

9:30 a.m. Questions

9:45 a.m. Breakout Session Tracks:

  • Impact on the Community
  • Mental Health During the Pandemic
  • Employment
  • Education - Back to School
  • Housing

10:15 a.m. Break

10:30 a.m. Welcome: Michael Cain, MD, Vice President for Health Sciences and Dean, Jacobs School

Keynote Speaker No. 2: RADM Richardae Araojo, PharmD, MS, Associate Commissioner for Minority Health, Director, Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, Food and Drug Administration — “The FDA Perspective: Enhancing Racial and Ethnic Minority Representation in Clinical Trials”

11:15 a.m. Questions

11:30 a.m. Breakout Session Tracks:

  • Research and the Community
  • Mental Health During the Pandemic
  • Employment
  • Education - Back to School
  • Housing

12:00 p.m. Lunch Break

1:00 p.m. Keynote Speaker No. 3: Raul Vazquez, MD, FAAFP, President and CEO, G-Health Enterprises — “Covid-19, Working With the Community to Shape Better Healthcare in Light of a Pandemic”

1:45 p.m. Questions

2:00 p.m. Breakout Session Tracks:

  • Community Response
  • Mental Health During the Pandemic
  • Employment
  • Education - Back to School
  • Housing

2:30 p.m. Conference Evaluation: Heather Orom, PhD, Associate Professor of Community Health and Health Behavior, Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, School of Public Health and Health Professions https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5765171/Hope2020

2:35 p.m. Reporting Back From Workshop Groups

2:50 p.m. Next Steps (Facilitated Open Discussion): Pastor Kinzer M. Pointer, Pastor, Liberty Missionary Baptist Church; Co-Convener, African American Health Equity Task Force

Closing Remarks: George Nicholas, MDiv, Co-Convener, African American Health Equity Task Force; Chair, Buffalo Center for Health Equity

3:15 p.m. Adjourn