A Diversity Message from Neil Meltzer, President and CEO, and Dr. Sybil Pentsil, Chief Diversity Officer - March 2023

Our Office of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) believes that LifeBridge Health is strengthened as an organization when patients and team members are welcomed, respected and celebrated for who they are. It is our hope that these monthly messages help provide education on the many diverse observances that are meaningful to our peers and encourage us all to embody the JEDI values. This month, we’ll take a closer look at the concept of diversity.

Diversity is about ensuring that LifeBridge Health’s team members and leaders reflect the wide array of races, ethnicities, cultures, genders and sexual orientations in the communities we serve, and that equitable pathways exist for all to grow and succeed. LifeBridge Health is focusing on diversifying our workforce at every level and continuously evolving into a more comprehensively representative organization. 

Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day
Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day (March 8) highlight women's historical contributions to society at large, acknowledging the structural misogyny women still face and celebrating the accomplishments they’ve achieved in art, politics, science and medicine despite social, cultural and systemic discrimination. This month we recognize all the amazing contributions of women right here at LifeBridge Health. Thank you!

Purim
Beginning on Monday evening, March 6, and continuing through Tuesday, March 7, Purim celebrates the salvation of the Jews from Persian Prime Minister Haman’s scheme to eradicate them. In the story of Purim, Mordechai and Esther quell the murderous plot – Mordechai by refusing to bow to Haman and rallying his fellow Jews against the prime minister, and Esther by revealing her hitherto-withheld Jewish identity to her husband the king. Practitioners of Judaism honor Purim with feasts, readings and gifts of charity. 

Holi (Festival of Colors)
Celebrated this year on March 8, the Hindu holiday Holi, often called the Festival of Colors, marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Drawing on several different Hindu myths and legends, Holi represents themes of renewal, love, fertility and the triumph of good over evil. In India and around the world, Holi is celebrated in the streets with the throwing of colored powder and water, dancing, singing, feasting and more. 

St. Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day takes place every year on March 17. In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day began as a pious Christian feast day honoring the country’s most beloved patron saint, St. Patrick, who is believed to have spread Christianity throughout the island. Today, St. Patrick’s Day has become a global celebration of Irish culture which often involves wearing green, enjoying feasts and parades and partaking of traditional Irish foods and beverages. 

Ostara
On March 20, pagans and Wiccans observe Ostara as a celebration of the spring equinox. While traditions vary by region and culture, Ostara is generally a time for looking ahead to the bounty and renewal represented by springtime and winter’s end. 

Baha’i Festival of Naw-Ruz 
Followers of the Baháʼí Faith will celebrate the Festival of Naw-Ruz on March 21. The festival takes place after a month of fasting, which offers both a physical and spiritual preparation for spring and renewal. Naw-Ruz starts the Baha’i year on the first day of spring.

International Transgender Day of Visibility
Transgender Day of Visibility is observed on March 31 to commemorate the contributions and achievements of transgender people, as well as to raise awareness for the ongoing discrimination trans people face all over the world. In the United States, transgender people are currently targeted by discriminatory legislation and social practices as well as violence. According to the Human Rights Campaign, at least 32 transgender and gender nonconforming people were murdered in 2022 – 81% percent of these victims were people of color and 59% were Black. 

Calls to Action:
Reflect
Think about how people who are different from you have helped you gain perspective and enriched team function. 

Recognize
Is your team as diverse as it could be? How can you promote diversity right here at LifeBridge Health? 

Respond
Use Trans Day of Visibility (March 31) as an opportunity to learn about ways you can support the trans community.