From left, Sheldon McLeod, Chief Executive Offi cer, Pamella Allen, artist, Opal Sinclair-Chung, chief nursing offi cer
and Dr. Seanna-kaye Denham, patient experience offi cer. Kings County Hospital
Caribbean L BQ ife, March 15–21, 2019 55
By Tangerine Clarke
Haitian American, Farah Louis, a
36-year-old resident of the 45th Council
District of Brooklyn, and deputy
chief of staff of former Councilman
Jumaane Williams, is throwing her
hat in the crowded ring for the seat
left vacant by the councilman, now
NYC Public Advocate-elect.
Louis, told Caribbean Life recently
at a MLK Jr. Tribute in Brooklyn, that
she wants to carry on the legacy of
the former councilman, as well as
the legacy of the work she has put
into the office, managing, branding
and creating initiatives in the district
and wants to do so in a bigger scale to
improve the community.
“I have a vision for the district.
I want to do things bigger and better
that would be sustainable,” said
Louis, who is focused on affordable
housing and small business improvement,
to make the district a better
place for residents to dwell.
“We want to keep people here. I
have worked for five years in community
outreach, and quickly moved
up to budget director, where I managed
the $88.9B budget for New York
City, said Louis, a former WABC-TV
Eyewitness News, and WQHT-HOT97
Program and morning show/promotion,
intern, respectively.
The former journalist, who said
she found herself on the other side
of the story, ultimately moving in
to help citizens organize due to the
community wanting somebody to
campaign for their cause. She had
prayed about how she wants the
district to look in the next couple of
years, and decided she would run for
the office.
By Nelson A. King
In honor of Black History Month,
NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County
hosted a special event to celebrate the
achievements of African Americans and
their contributions to American history.
The sprawling Central Brooklyn hospital
said that, on Feb. 15, about 100
employees, visitors and guests gathered
in the auditorium of the hospital’s
T-Building, for an “engaging presentation”
on “Race and the Patients’ Experience:
The Impact of Racial Diversity on
the Delivery of Care.”
There was also a moderated question
and answer session, Black art exhibit
and musical performances /skit by students
from PS 235.
“Celebrating Black History is
acknowledging the full, rich history
of America, and the pioneering work
African Americans have contributed to
medicine, science, the arts, and every
conceivable discipline,” said Sheldon
McLeod chief executive officer at NYC
Health + Hospitals/Kings County.
“Black culture is a vibrant reflection
of our employees and the demographic
we serve,” he added. “Our hospital is
proud to provide innovative, accessible,
quality healthcare to our patients
and the community, and to celebrate
the significant contributions African
Americans have made to this country
and around the world.”
Keynote speaker, physician Carla
Boutin-Foster, associate dean, Office
of Diversity Education and Research,
SUNY Downstate Medical Center College
of Medicine, said she was “actively
engaged in contributing to opportunities
in the African-American community,
developing programs to recruit
Black and Latino students and empower
them to pursue careers in medicine and
science.”
Seanna-kaye Denham, Ph. D, patient
experience officer at NYC Health + Hospitals/
Kings County, said “healthcare
disparities continue to impact racial
and ethnic minorities in the community
that we serve, despite advances in
medical practice.
“It was important for us to have this
event to engage patients, staff and our
community in a collective effort to
transform the healthcare landscape in a
culturally competent way so people can
live their healthiest lives,” she said.
“We also want our patients to see
integrity, compassion, accountability,
respect, and excellence in the services
we provide,” Denham added.
The Black art exhibit featured works
by Jamaican-born visual artist, Pamella
Allen, known for her paintings, works
on paper and photographs, featured in
art exhibitions locally and internationally.
Assemblywoman, Rodneyse Bichotte,
left, with Haitian-American,
Farah Louis, deputy chief of
staff of former Councilman, Jumaane
Williams, at a recent MLK
Jr. tribute in Brooklyn.
Photo by Tangerine Clarke
Kings County hosts Black
History Month event
Farah Louis
campaigns
for council
seat
From left, Sheila Asor, patient care associate, Sydnee Barton, assistant director,
Community Outreach/CAB Liaison, Keisha Gilles, assistant director,
Public/Community and Dr. Seanna-kaye Denham, patient experience offi
cer.