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SC Commission for Minority Affairs to Host Black History Month Celebration Honoring Healthcare Professionals

Published Date

For Immediate Release
January 19, 2022
Contact: Shireese M. Bell at 803-563-0283 or sbell@cma.sc.gov

The South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs (SCCMA) will celebrate Black History Month by recognizing the contributions of African Americans in healthcare and wellness through its annual celebration and month-long social media campaign.

This year's national Black History Month theme, "Black Health and Wellness," acknowledges the legacy of Black medical and public health professionals, and health care scholars and practitioners. The Commission for Minority Affairs will highlight leaders across the state for their strong commitment to advancing and/or supporting the health and wellness of residents in the state.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the in-person Black History Month Celebration luncheon scheduled for Thursday, February 10 at 11 a.m. will be streamed live via the Commission's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/southcarolinaminorityaffairs). The luncheon is limited to invited guests only due to COVID-19 safety protocols.

Dr. Thaddeus J. Bell, family physician and founder of the nonprofit Closing the Gap in Health Care, Inc., will be the keynote speaker. The annual celebration will also include a statistical data presentation from the Commission for Minority Affairs' Social Science Research Analyst Ashley Hanna-Williams. SCCMA Executive Director Dr. Delores Dacosta will serve as the mistress of ceremonies.

The mission of Closing the Gap in Health Care, Inc. (CTGIHC) is to decrease health disparities and increase health literacy among underserved African American and under-served communities in the SC. For more than 15 years, the organization has provided health education and programs that promote wellness and healthy lifestyles.

This year's award recipients will include State Epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell; primary care physician Dr. Winston McIver Jr.; Dolores B. Scott, director of Hold Out the Lifeline: A Mission to Families; and Florence businessman Tim Waters (Save a Lot).

For more information, contact Cynthia Haddad, African American Affairs Program Manager, at 803-995-8553 or email chaddad@cma.sc.gov.

View full press release PDF.

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