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In 1987 President Ronald Reagan dedicated March as National Developmental Disabilities Month to increase awareness for Americans with developmental disabilities and to provide “both encouragement and the opportunities they need to lead productive lives and achieve their full potential.” This designation was part of a small but important shift in public perception and sparked grassroots movements which eventually led to landmark legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and later the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
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Wednesday, March 8 is Holi, the annual spring festival of colors. Holi is celebrated on the day after the spring full moon on the Hindu calendar. It is observed by many who live in, and/or those who trace their roots to South Asia. During Holi, there’s a lot of dancing and singing and it is traditional for people to attend a public bonfire, spray friends and family with colored powders and water, and generally go a bit wild. The festival signifies the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring, and the end of winter. For many it is a day to enjoy, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships. Happy Holi!
Mitch
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The Jewish holiday of Purim begins on the evening of Monday, March 6, 2023 – and ends on the evening of Tuesday, March 7, 2023. During Purim, it is traditional to retell the biblical story of the Book of Esther, also known as the Megillah. Haman, the king's advisor, plots to destroy the Jews of Persia. Neither Haman nor the King know that Queen Esther is Jewish. Esther reveals her identity in a successful and daring effort to save the Jews. Esther did not stand by silently – she was an upstander. What begins as a tale of doom has a happy ending, except for Haman. This parable has an important lesson, relevant for today. One individual, speaking up, can make a difference and standing by in silence when a wrong is occurring, is not an option. The holiday is celebrated among Jews by exchanging gifts of food known as mishloach manot, donating charity to the poor, and a public reading of the Megillah. Normally, children (and some adults) dress up in costume for Purim parties (much like Halloween or a UAB pediatric resident any day during Funuary).
Happy Purim (and don’t forget to be an upstander).
Mitch
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Today is the sixth annual Women Physician’s Day and is a day to celebrate the amazing accomplishments and contributions that women have brought to the field of medicine. The day is celebrated every year on Feb. 3 to honor the birthday of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to earn a medical degree from an American medical school in 1849 and a pioneer for women physicians.
Since Dr. Blackwell earned her degree, women have made countless contributions to the field of medicine and the greater community. We are thankful for the amazing leadership, work and dedication that the female physicians in the Department of Pediatrics bring to our department, hospital and the children of Alabama.
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Black History Month as we know it now began in 1915 when historian Carter G. Woodson and Jesse E. Moorland founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). This organization was dedicated to promoting and researching the many achievements by Black Americans that had been largely left out of history books. Eleven years after it was founded, the organization known today as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), proposed that the second week of February be declared Negro History Week. This week was selected because it coincided with the birthdates of Fredrick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln and the goal of the week was to further the sharing of information about Black life, history and culture.
It wasn’t until 50 years later during the United States’ 1976 Bicentennial that President Gerald Ford declared that Black History Month should be a nationally recognized celebration to be held every February. President Ford said that the public should “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”
Since this initial declaration, every American president has designated February as Black History Month and chosen a specific theme for the month. This year’s theme is “Black Resistance.”
Though we have seen progress in America in the 97 years after the first Negro History Week and 47 years after the national recognition of Black History Month, systemic racism and racial injustice are still very much present in American society. The killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Atatiana Jefferson in 2020 and the recent killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, TN by police sparked protests across America and the world calling for the elimination of systemic racism and racial injustice. Though it may seem insurmountable to solve the issue of racism in America, we can all take steps to work towards dismantling systemic racism through education and listening. Together we can make America a more just and equitable country for all.
Learn more about Black History Month here.
Check out the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion section below for events being held this month to celebrate.
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This past Monday, Jan. 16, we celebrated the life and legacy of Civil Rights pioneer, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Day was signed into law as a federal holiday by President Ronald Reagan in 1983 and was first observed in 1986. It is celebrated on the third Monday of January so the day would fall around Dr. King’s birthday (he was born on Jan. 15). This day is not only a day to celebrate Dr. King’s life and legacy but is also recognized as a National Day of Service to encourage people to volunteer and improve their communities. On MLK Day and every day, Dr. King’s dream lives on in the hearts of millions of people who are taking action and giving back to their communities. We hope you were able to spend this day serving, educating others about Dr. King and celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Chrystal Rutledge, M.D.
Vice Chair for Diversity
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David Kimberlin, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, has been inducted into the Association of American Physicians (AAP). The AAP is an honorary medical society that recognizes physicians who make outstanding contributions to basic and translational biomedical research.
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On Saturday, Feb. 18, the Department of Pediatrics Mini Medical School Program had its first field trip. Eighteen 6th and 7th graders came to the Pediatric Simulation Center at Children’s of Alabama and spent a half day learning first-hand how healthcare providers work in a hospital setting.
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Michele Kong, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Critical Care, has received the Charles C. Shepard Science Award.