 Black History Month Health and Wellness Feature:
Immunologist Kizzmekia Corbett at Forefront of COVID-19 Vaccine Design
Our focus for Black History Month this year is "Black Health and Wellness," a timely theme considering the current COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine rollout. African-Americans have played a pivotal role in advancing healthcare for centuries. This week's feature highlights Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, a 35-year old African-American immunologist who currently works in the forefront of developing the COVID-19 vaccine.
Immunologist Kizzmekia Corbett was recently honored in TIME magazine's "100 Next" list for her contribution to the development of a COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the U.S. National Institutes of Health, highlighted Dr. Corbett's work in the following statement:
"Kizzmekia Corbett, the scientific lead of the Vaccine Research Center’s coronavirus team at the U.S. National Institutes of Health, is widely recognized in the immunology community as a rising star. For the past six years, she has focused on coronavirus biology and vaccine development. During the pandemic, those years of research led to the discovery that a stabilized version of a spike protein found on the surface of all coronaviruses can be a key target for vaccines, treatments and diagnostics. She and her colleagues have been central to the development of the Moderna mRNA vaccine and the Eli Lilly therapeutic monoclonal antibody that were first to enter clinical trials in the U.S. and now have authorization for emergency use. As a result, her work will have a substantial impact on ending the worst respiratory-disease pandemic in more than 100 years."
Dr. Corbett received a B.S. in Biological Sciences, with a secondary major in Sociology, in 2008 from the University of Maryland – Baltimore County, where she was a Meyerhoff Scholar and an NIH undergraduate scholar. Learn more about Dr. Corbett's history and achievements from the American Society for Microbiology webpage.
COVID-19 Vaccine and The Black Community:
A Tyler Perry Special
Click here to view the video.
Tyler Perry is a world-renowned producer, director, actor, screenwriter, playwright, author, songwriter, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who is committed to the Black community. Recently he released his special, “COVID-19 Vaccine and the Black Community: A Tyler Perry Special," which joins BET’s roster of informative specials that address the impacts of COVID-19 on the Black community and answers questions about the vaccine.
In the midst of a world health crisis, Perry sits down with top medical experts Carlos del Rio, MD, Executive Associate Dean, Emory School of Medicine at Grady Health System, and Kimberly Dyan Manning, MD, Professor of Medicine at Grady Health System to address the public's concerns and fears about the COVID-19 vaccine.
The half-hour special provides helpful and factual information for viewers looking to protect themselves and their families from this unprecedented crisis. Tackling issues head-on, Perry asks the hard-hitting questions to help the community gain insight into this new vaccine. Click here to view the special.
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This week's Staff Spotlight goes to Resources and Support Program Manager, Marci Littman! The following expression was sent on behalf of Marci by Kimberly Brock, Resources and Support Unit Manager:
My supervisor, Marci Littman - Resources & Support Program Manager deserves recognition! Marci is passionate about every detail to support our resource families. She has shown her commitment in being transparent with staff so we are well informed and strives to keep our program cohesive. I really appreciate how she welcomes feedback not just for the sake of doing so but often implements such suggestions from staff. Marci, thank you for being a Program Manager I can be proud to call my supervisor!
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 This week's spotlight also goes to Joi Washington from the Hilton Heights FIA Center! Ms. Washington has been with the agency since October 28, 2015. She began at the Southwest District with the Intake Unit and moved to the Customer Service Unit. Joi has a way with customers! She is able to assist in every way needed to ensure that all customers are taken care of properly.
As she learned policy, she learned more about true customer service and was sought after by our customers to be a favorite due to her easy-going voice, smile, great listening skills, and most of all patience. Once the Southwest merger with Hilton Heights took place, Ms. Washington was seated at the first chair to become the primary "Greeter" at Hilton Heights. She truly lives our WE CARE value of “Welcoming”! She has shown versatility and the ability to "role with the punches" as she works virtually and still exceeds expectations. Thanks Ms. Joi Washington for always stepping up to the plate!
Many thanks to Kimberly and Hilton Heights for their submissions! To nominate a staff person you admire for a future Staff Spotlight, please send an email to bcdss.communications@maryland.gov.
BCDSS Recognized at 2020 State Employees Risk Management Administration (SERMA) Awards
The Division of Administrative Operations' (DAO) SERMA Awards recognizes State agency employees and groups for working safely, promoting safety, and encouraging safe work practices at all levels of employment. Working within the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 SERMA Conference scheduled for May 21, 2020 was unfortunately cancelled. However, the cancellation did not hinder DHS from being highlighted and recognized for its 2019 achievements. On October 30, 2020, DHS was recognized virtually and presented achievement certificates for calendar year 2019 on-the-job injury claims reductions in multiple jurisdictions. Notably, achievement certificates were received for DHS Headquarters for a 74% claims reduction and Baltimore City DSS for a 21% claims reduction.
Way to go BCDSS! Many thanks goes to all of our hardworking team members who make significant risk management contributions to the health, safety and general welfare of our agency. Let us all continue to show that W.E. C.A.R.E for one another by promoting health, safety, and well-being at our workplace.
 Throughout the month of February 2021, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) will honor their BHM theme of "The Black Family; Representation, Identity and Diversity" by hosting weekly, virtual programming in observance and celebration of the strengths, struggles, resistance—and the sheer perseverance of the Black family. The Festival will be a series of stellar educational events that demonstrate how Black people helped shape the American landscape and were shaped by it, posited through the lens of food, religion, social justice, education, economics, and music arts and their impact on the endurance of Black families.
Join ASALH for this week's featured program and marquee event:
Finding Our Roots in African American History, A Conversation with Henry Louis Gates and Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham
Saturday, February 20, 2021, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. EST
(TICKETED EVENT: $50.00, $125.00, $150.00)
Click here to register.
Acclaimed for his scholarship, his documentary films about African, Afro-Latin, and African American History, and his popular television series, “Finding Your Roots,” Henry Louis Gates, Jr., has brought fascinating African American family stories to the wider public. The Black History Month Festival in 2021 is proud to feature a conversation between ASALH’s national president Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham and Henry Louis Gates, Jr., who will share his thoughts and motivations in popularizing Black History through the heritage of African American families and communities and their search for roots. Joe Madison, legendary voice in radio, and a recognized human and civil rights activist will serve as the host for this event. Rev. William H. Lamar IV, Pastor of the historic Metropolitan A.M.E. Church in Washington, DC will offer the traditional invocation on behalf of the new Festival.
More ASALH virtual programs will be included in our next Friday Focus. All programs can be viewed at www.youtube.com/asalhtv.
 It might be more of a coincidence that Heart Month and Black History Month are in the same month. Nonetheless, the pairing presents a great opportunity to promote awareness and prevention of heart disease - a problem that has plagued the African-American community for decades.
“We do, in the African-American community, have a disproportionate amount of sudden death” due to heart disease and other heart health-related issues, said Dr. Mallory McClure, a Chambersburg, PA-based staff cardiologist with WellSpan Cardiologist who lost her 47-year old mother and 66-year old father to heart disease. Citing statistics from the CDC and American Heart Association, WellSpan says Black Americans are 40 percent more likely to have high blood pressure than white Americans and are 20 percent more likely to die of heart disease.
Reducing the risk of heart disease among African-Americans means promoting good dieting, exercise, and being proactive about seeking medical care. As part of it's Healthy for Good initiative, the American Heart Association (AHA) features the following infographics to help individuals eat their way to good heart health:
Explore AHA's website to learn more about recognizing and preventing heart disease.
“Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations.”
Dr. Mae Jemison, first African-American female astronaut
 Brandi Stocksdale
Director
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