UCLA School of Medicine hosts panel to highlight Black professionals in health

Speakers at a David Geffen School of Medicine panel shared their career accomplishments and collective experiences as Black professionals in medicine Feb. 19.

The Legacy We Build: Celebrating Black Staff Excellence event – hosted by the DGSOM Office for Inclusive Excellence – recognized the contributions of Black professionals and aimed to foster a strong sense of community, according to the DGSOM website.

Four speakers from Student Affairs and the school – Catherine Weston, Celeste Dancy, Curtis Austin and Travis McAllister – were invited to Geffen Hall to discuss diversity and inclusivity for Black professionals within the medical school community.

The panel featured questions addressing the speakers’ proudest career moments, ways to foster inclusivity and support for Black staff, advice for future Black professionals and resource strategies that have helped them cultivate a sense of belonging.

Weston, the assistant to the chair and academic personnel coordinator at the school’s neurobiology department, said she was proud of instituting a bimonthly discussion series for her justice, equity, diversity and inclusion working group.

Dancy, the program coordinator for Programs in Medical Education-Leadership and Advocacy, a dual degree training program at DGSOM, said her proudest achievement was providing support and comfort as she delivered vaccines to over 1,000 patients at the beginning of the pandemic. Many people specifically approached her, pulling her aside and asking to talk, not just for clinical information but for reassurance, she said.

“I began to realize that it was just my presence and what I represented to people that made them feel like, ‘OK, I’m anxious, I’m worried, I’m nervous,’” Dancy said in her panel response. “That was one of the first times I really understood how representation can really impact people.”

Curtis Austin, the operations manager for UCLA Health Digital Technology audiovisual services at DGSOM, said in his panel response that his career achievements included providing a platform where people can feel that they are being heard. By setting up PA systems in the hospital for a group to express their emotions and making sure to have community webinars during the pandemic, Austin added that he provided a voice during challenging times such as the pandemic and the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder.

McAllister, the admissions operations & data manager at DGSOM, said in his panel response he loves advocating for his team and pushing the limit with leaders of DGSOM.

“Sometimes you’ve got to pop out and show them,” McAllister said in the panel. “Let me say something and advocate for those who may feel like they don’t have a voice.”

The School of Medicine’s leadership should remain transparent, Austin said in his panel response. Having a venue to have crucial conversations in a professional manner and being able to listen during those times is important, he added.

“If you’re in the right environment, you will get all of that appreciated,” Austin said in the panel. “But in certain situations, that’s just not going to happen, and that just might not be the position for you at that time, and don’t be afraid to leave and come back.”

As to resource strategies and experiences that helped her find a sense of belonging and success within DGSOM, Weston said she reads emails containing valuable opportunities for involvement. Reading emails led her to join a task force through the staff assembly, Weston said.

McAllister said he supported his sense of belonging through common interests with others, such as World Wrestling Entertainment and comic books. He added that he hopes there are other resources within DGSOM that cultivate a sense of belonging for Black professionals.

Kimberly Dyson, an attendee and program coordinator at UCLA Health, said she attended the forum to be more involved in the DGSOM community. She added that she enjoyed developing community outside of the workplace.

Austin said he wants DGSOM to grow by creating more opportunities beyond just Black History Month, such as departmental groups or meeting spaces for Black professionals from similar workplaces.

One thing attendees can take away from the panel is that having open conversations is not always a negative, Austin said. The DGSOM should be able to listen to the staff and try to address concerns as an organization, he added.

“The most important thing is to not be afraid to speak up and speak out and advocate for yourself,” Weston said.