In the Community
Halloween
Halloween crept up on us last week—and just as Downstate does every year, we welcomed
herds of future “Downstaters” on Friday for our annual community trick-or-treating
festivities. If you were on Campus, you may have stumbled upon the adorable parade
of children in festive costumes, knocking on our department doors while on the mad
hunt for treats. Every year, the Children’s Center at SUNY Brooklyn, the Infant and Child Learning Center-Stanley Lamm Institute Preschools at SUNY Downstate, and The Child Life Program partner with Downstate to provide a memorable Trick-or-Treat experience at Downstate.
Many thanks to all the students, faculty, and staff that came to work in costume,
making the experience that much more special for these kids. Special thanks to the
leadership and staff of all our preschool programs who helped provide this safe and
fun experience.
Tobacco event
In 2009, new legislation was signed that banned flavored cigarettes—except for menthol,
a chemical compound that masks the harshness of tobacco and, as the CDC warns, makes
it harder to quit. Menthol cigarettes have disproportionately plagued black communities
for decades, and although the law was designed to reduce the number of young people
taking up smoking, Big Tobacco successfully lobbied to remove menthol from the ban.
Effectively, black communities were left out of an effort to rectify decades of predatory
marketing by tobacco companies. Today, as leaders move to take swift action on e-cigarettes,
it appears the health of communities of color could once again be traded for political
expediency.
In response, Downstate partnered with The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to host, “Teens, Tobacco, and Vaping”—a timely and critically needed community Town
Hall on the threat of tobacco, electronic cigarettes, and the need for immediate,
collective action.
Opening remarks were given by Dr. Hazel N. Dukes, President of the NAACP New York State Conference and a member of the NAACP National
Board of Directors, who warned attendees of the incredible danger and serious health
risks associated with the uses of these products and substances.
Following opening remarks, Robert Foronjy, M.D., Chief of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Downstate; Michael Davoli, Director
of Government Relations from the American Cancer Society Action Network; Andre Richardon, Campaign Manager for Flavors Hook Kids NYC; and Deidre M. Sully, MPH, Director of NYC Smoke-Free Public Health Solutions, joined the stage as panelists to address the ugly truth about the use of tobacco
in every form.
Panelists discussed the ways in which specific communities are targeted and urged
the community to take a stand and support the ban on all flavored tobacco products
in New York City (including menthol and mint flavored e-cigarettes, cigarettes and
cigars). They also encouraged residents to call on their local elected officials to
support two critical bills (1345 and 1362) backed by the New York NAACP Conference.
Many thanks to Dr. Dukes and the NAACP for joining forces with Downstate to tackle
this very important issue; to all our participating panelists; and to Darin Jones, Special Assistant in the Office of the President, for his timely and seamless coordination
of this important event.
Domestic Violence
For many, home is a place of love, warmth, and comfort. But for millions of others,
home is anything but a sanctuary. The U.S. Department of Justice estimates that 1.3
million women and 835,000 men are victims of physical violence by a partner every
year.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and a time that our nation and Downstate,
acknowledge the importance of this month by wearing purple.
Why purple? Well, in the US Armed Forces, the Purple Heart is presented to those wounded
while serving. For survivors of domestic violence, the color is meant to be a symbol
of courage, survival, honor and dedication to ending violence.
On October 21st, in partnership with the New York State Office of Victim Services, Downstate’s Domestic Violence Committee and Human Resources Management collaborated with "SUNY’s Got Your Back" to assemble comfort bags for victims and
survivors of domestic violence who seek help from shelters, centers, and hospitals
across the Empire State.
The day was an opportunity for the Downstate Community to learn about and understand
domestic violence on a deeper level and featured special guest speaker Assemblywoman Diana C. Richardson, who provided valuable insight on her vision for combating domestic violence.
Following the event, a group photo was taken to memorialize that Downstate has and
always will stand in solidarity with survivors of domestic violence. The photo will
be presented to a local women's shelter.
Many thanks to Downstate’s Domestic Violence Committee, the Employee Assistance Program, and the Office of Human Resources Management for underscoring our institutional values by highlighting this important issue.
Parents of COM Donation
(Photo on the right) Presentation of the check (from left to right) is Anthony Ciatto,
President of the Parents’ of COM; Hannah Street, COO of the BFC, SUNY Downstate COM
2022; Linda Greenberg, member of the board of directors; and Robert Kurpiel, Treasurer.
Everyone knows the apple never really falls far from the tree, so when you look at
the unmatched excellence found within Downstate’s student body, you know that distinction was born from something remarkable...their life experiences,
their ambition, and (without question)—their parents!
Medical school takes a financial, mental, and emotional toll on students—from the
financial sacrifice, to endless hours in the library, the overwhelming stress of examination
periods, and landing the residency they’ve always dreamed of. Understanding this,
the College of Medicine (COM) created “Parents of COM” as an added layer of support to alleviate some of these
hardships through scholarships, expense reimbursements, educational resources, social
events, and other activities to improve the medical school experience.
Last week, Parents of COM presented a $2500 donation to Hannah Street, Downstate COM Class of 2022 and COO of the Anne Kastor Brooklyn Free Clinic (BFC)— a student-run organization that provides free health care to the uninsured in Brooklyn.
Thank you to Downstate’s Parents of COM for going above and beyond to take care of
our students, the University, and our community partners. Your generous donation will
be put to very good use as it will extend health care in communities that need it
most.
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