Last month, PAH’s Cultural & Community Awareness Council (CCAC) hosted their 3rd Annual Diversity Day, which brought together staff, visitors, and community members to enjoy some international dishes in the sunshine and celebrate the racial, ethnic, spiritual, gender, sexuality, and cultural differences that enrich Pennsy’s team and the surrounding community.
This year, local organizations like the Women’s Center of Montgomery County, MANNA, and Philly AIDS Thrift @ Giovanni’s Room set up educational tables in the Elm Garden, and there were also familiar faces from Bloodless Medicine and Diabetes Education sharing information to help staff members practice culturally competent, compassionate communication with their patients and peers. The Healing Arts Collective’s table became a crowd favorite by offering free massages.
Staff members also donated raffle baskets filled with international teas, wines from around the world, and American baking items, and participants were invited to play a Jeopardy! game that offered the chance to learn about health care disparities and religious practices.
This year’s live entertainment lineup included performances by The Adorers praise choir and the Hall-Mercer choir, a guitar and vocal performance by paint shop team lead Jeff MacIntyre, a beautiful rendition of the national anthem sung by patient care tech Tyrone Foster, a Turkish folk dance performed by medical technologist Emine Karamete, and even a fashion show.
“The members of CCAC worked extremely hard this year to organize a variety of programs that broaden our colleagues’ cultural awareness, promote inclusion, and strengthen the link between our hospital and the surrounding community,” said nursing education coordinator Michael Altman, who organized this year’s event with CCAC co-chair Brandi Walker, BSN, RN, and executive sponsor Bonita Ball, MSN, RN, NE-BC. “Diversity Day is a celebration of so many of the constituent parts of our greater community. We’re so glad that so many people came out, and we hope that they learned something along the way!”