UVA Health Team Members:
Each November, UVA Health joins people across the country in celebrating Native American Heritage Month, recognizing the indelible history, culture, traditions, and achievements of our nation’s original inhabitants and their descendants. This month, we are reminded to learn and better understand both the histories and current experiences of Indigenous Americans, and are offering opportunities for our team members to hear these stories firsthand.
Kody Grant, the Tribal Liaison in the UVA Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, will be featured in this month’s UVA Health Storytellers Series on Nov. 6, which will be offered both in person and virtually. On Nov. 15, Dr. Edward Valandra, a professor, editor, and advisor who was born and raised on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation, will be featured as part of the UVA Health “My Story, My Voice” Series. Everyone is welcome to attend. More details are below.
Native American Heritage Month: Celebrating Tribal Sovereignty and Identity
Nov. 6 | 1:30-2:30 PM | UVA Health Storytellers Series | Kody Grant, Pueblo of Isleta and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The former tour guide, actor, and cultural ambassador most recently supervised the American Indian Initiative at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. | Virtual: Registration Required | On-site: PINN Hall 1005
Nov. 15 | Noon-1:00 PM | UVA Health My Story, My Voice Series | Edward Valandra, PhD, editor of “Colorizing Restorative Justice,” served the Sicangu Titunwan Oyate nation in various capacities. Previously a university professor, Dr. Valandra now serves as an advisor and senior editor to Living Justice Press on how to apply restorative justice to repairing longstanding, historical, and current harms among peoples. In the UVA Health Office of Diversity and Community Engagement’s “My Story, My Voice” series — an external subject matter expert shares their academic and career journey, mileposts, learnings, experiences, and more to engage and connect our communities. | Virtual: Registration Required
By better understanding the experiences of Indigenous American peoples along with the unique health challenges and disparities they often face, we can better ensure that every patient at UVA Health – regardless of race, color, national origin, background or any other factor – receives the respect and high-quality healthcare they need and deserve.
We celebrate and extend our most sincere gratitude to the entire UVA Health team for all you do to live out our mission of transforming health and inspiring hope for all Virginians and beyond.
Sincerely,
Tracy M. Downs, MD
Chief Diversity and Community Engagement Officer, UVA Health
Craig Kent, MD
Chief Executive Officer, UVA Health
Marianne Baernholdt, RN
Dean, UVA School of Nursing
Wendy Horton, PharmD
Chief Executive Officer, UVA Medical Center
Scott Just, MD
Chief Executive Officer, UVA Physicians Group
Melina R. Kibbe, MD
Dean, UVA School of Medicine
Erik Shannon
Chief Executive Officer, UVA Community Health
Filed Under: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion