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Congratulations to EmblemHealth's Greg Rider, CPTD, CHC (he/his) on being recognized as a 2022 Notable LGBTQ Leader by Crain's New York Business. Greg is the founder and leader of our employee resource group for members and friends of the LGBTQ community, and also created the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Coalition with external community health organizations.
EmblemHealth was honored to sponsor the first AAPI Heritage Month celebration at Gracie Mansion, joining Mayor Eric Adams and his administration in acknowledging the remarkable contributions made by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to life in the five boroughs. Some 800 guests, including elected officials, community leaders, advocates, and Asian American members of the FDNY and NYPD gathered in a tent on the lawn near the East River to honor several New Yorkers from the AAPI community with proclamations for their service to the city. EmblemHealth was well represented by Annie Wu and Antonio Lau, among others. Thanks to Mayor Adams and his staff for graciously hosting this landmark event.
Colleagues from the EmblemHealth family of companies celebrated by planting trees at KNOX, Inc. Hartford. Thanks to United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut for making this event possible – we had a terrific time together! Colleagues visited Connecticut Foodshare in both Wallingford and Bloomfield to pitch in as part of National Volunteer Week. Our thanks to all the organizations and spirited volunteers who made our Be Human initiative such a huge success!
Colleagues from across the EmblemHealth family of companies have enthusiastically embraced our Be Human initiative! Volunteers visited the Farmington Land Trust where they helped with trail clean up at the West District Nature Preserve. The Farmington Land Trust protects over 300 acres of fields, forests, wetlands, scenic vistas, historic sites and wildlife habitat from development. All of the Land Trust's 67 parcels will remain as open space forever, enriching the quality of life for Farmington residents for generations to come. Another group helped prepare nutritious meals at Healing Meals Community Project that will be delivered to people recovering from acute health issues. The dual mission of Healing Meals is to provide healthy organic meals to people in a health crisis while fostering compassion and empowering youth and adult volunteers in our communities. This remarkable organization has delivered over 93,000 meals since 2016.
Our enterprise employee resource group, Rise, hosted a Black History Month event with special guest, Deputy Brooklyn Borough President Diana Richardson, who was inspirational to all. The event shined light on the “hidden figures” of Black history, past and current, and reminded us to use Black History Month as a “point of reflection and celebration of culture and heritage.” We are truly part of an amazing enterprise committed to promoting health and wellness among the communities we serve, and delivering on our diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.
EmblemHealth kicked off the Year of the Tiger alongside community members at the 2022 Lunar New Year Parade in Flushing, Queens. We joined local partners, community organizations, and leaders to honor Asian American heritage in a day of celebration, lion dancing, and the much-anticipated firecracker ceremony.
Empowering professional development through communication styles was the focus of our employees at a workshop led by expert and TEDx speaker Van Lai-DuMone, founder of worksmART advantage. During the event, participants learned how to effectively approach conflict, how to advocate for themselves, and how to navigate difficult conversations (with specific tips for women). The workshop was hosted by The Bold Collective, our employee resource group dedicated to cultivating authentic conversations and meaningful connections among women and their allies.
The diverse communities we serve were the focus of our employees at a recent internal panel discussion. Thank you to everyone who shared their unique perspectives and experiences to raise awareness and improve the care and coverage we provide across the EmblemHealth family of companies. Our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Council hosted the event. This council is responsible for championing diversity, equity, and inclusion on behalf of our employees, members and patients, and vendor relationships.
This year’s celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month focused on the healing power of art in Latinx culture and featured guest speakers Yolanda Rodriguez, co-founder of the BxArts Factory; Charlie Vázquez, a creative writing coach and mindfulness meditation instructor; and Yasser Tejeda, a guitarist, producer, arranger, and composer born and raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, now based in Brooklyn. The event was led by Presente, our employee resource group dedicated to promoting the visibility and inclusion of #latinx within our enterprise and the communities we serve.
This year we celebrated National Coming Out Day by focusing on the personal, social, and community impact of LGBTQ+ coming out journeys. During the event, Prism, our employee resource group for members and friends of the LGBTQ+ community, presented their 2021 Prism Award for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion to the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City (NAMI-NYC). NAMI is a member of Prism’s LGBTQ+ Healthcare Coalition. The Coalition collaborates with partner organizations across the region on initiatives to enhance care for LGBTQ+ individuals. Thanks to everybody who attended, especially those team members who shared coming out stories and provided resources to help others live openly and safely.
