They came to America from countries such as China, India, Japan, Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Pakistan and islands scattered throughout the Pacific Ocean. They came as refugees, children of refugees, political exiles or through adoption as babies or young children. They joined their American husbands in the U.S. as war brides and came as war orphans. They were recruited for agriculture and construction work. They fled to our shores to escape economic and other hardships in their own countries and to seek refuge from genocide and foreign occupation of their homeland. They sought education and came as students. While most first-generation Asian immigrants sought safety and opportunity for their families, history proves Asian Americans also brought strong work ethics, intellect, creativity and other contributions that continue to shape major portions of our country’s history, often without recognition. The first immigrants helped develop the West as they served as contract laborers in agriculture, the Northwest timber industry…

In an effort to promote cultural diversity and inclusion, we’re doing a “Ballad Health’s Melting Pot” series. Ballad Health team members represent countries all over the globe to create a melting pot of diverse backgrounds. Let us know if you would like to introduce your fellow Ballad Health team members to your family’s culture by sharing your story and recipes. If so, email us at balladhealthnews@balladhealth.org and someone on the communications team will contact you.   If you’re lucky enough to work in corporate pharmacy, then you’ve probably sampled the delicious cuisine of Rosa’s Asian homeland. For the rest of us, see her recipes below to try them at home. Rosa Octobre’s coworkers in corporate pharmacy know they’re in for a treat when she shows up to work with a hot dish of one of her or her mother’s Filipino specialties. It’s also been a delicious way to highlight her Pacific island country’s history and culture….

During the month of February, the Diversity & Inclusion team for Ballad Health has been emphasizing Black History Month. We are sharing with you the impact Black Americans have on the history of this region, and listing opportunities to virtually attend events, stories, videos and theater performances that help demonstrate this impact. Our Diversity & Inclusion program’s mission as interested team members is to embrace an environment where inclusion is valued and where people respect each other as individuals. We work toward this goal not just during Black History Month, but every month. We share education, local events, important holidays and other interesting opportunities for learning and respecting each other. Our differences and similarities enable us to better serve our patients, one another and our communities. We serve this mission through education and building awareness. We create a bridge, at times, when division occurs. Resources of supportive information are provided when concerns are discovered and…

We asked Anne G’fellers-Mason, executive director and historian at The Heritage Alliance of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, to share some Black history facts from our own region. How many of these stories have you heard? Be sure to visit the Heritage Alliance website heritageall.org for more local history, and to access the “Social/Racial Justice Resource Sheet” created in collaboration with the Langston Centre and The McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington School. You’ll find links to regional initiatives and resources for parents, educators and the public about racial and social justice. Did you know? 1820: The Emancipator, published in Jonesborough, was the first periodical dedicated to abolitionism. The Emancipator, published and funded by Quaker Elihu Embree, began circulation on April 30, 1820, from the town of Jonesborough and was printed in Jacob Howard’s print shop. The Emancipator was the first periodical dedicated exclusively to the cause of abolitionism. Jacob Howard’s print shop, now destroyed,…

In 1960, Leola “Lola” Campbell’s only desire was to be a nurse. The first huge step to that goal was to integrate the Kingsport Nursing School. It was no easy feat, but she did it. Following graduation, she was once again a pioneer as she became the first Black nurse at Holston Valley Medical Center, where she retired after a career of 32 years. Now 87, Lola recalls the struggles, the successes and the people who helped her in her journey. She says her faith and the opportunity to open a door for others was her motivation to continue. “I wasn’t doing that just for myself; I was doing that for all Black women.”

Stories have the power to entertain and, at the same time, change the way we see ourselves and the world. They preserve our history, explain things and help us understand how people and events have shaped our lives and beliefs today. From the list below, pick a movie, a book, a storyteller performance or an oral history interview with people right here in our own region. As you enjoy these stories, learn more about the influence of African American accomplishments, struggles and culture that have influenced life for us all. These stories are great way to open a conversation as you view, listen to or read these together with friends or family. Ballad Health encourages you to watch, listen, learn… and start talking.   Watch a movie The Black Church: This is Our Story, This is Our Song Two-part documentary series airs Tuesday & Wednesday, Feb. 16-17, at 9 p.m. on local PBS stations. For…

Black History Month was created as a time for all Americans to celebrate the achievements by Black Americans and their central role in U.S. history. Beside the recognition, Black History Month also serves as a way to promote diversity, to unite us as a multi-cultural society and to understand the importance of our stories and how they impact us today. Despite the pandemic-caused limitations on social gatherings, there are many ways you can join local and national celebrations online this year. We’ve created a list of local events from children’s story times, to storytelling performances, to deeper-dive discussions on social justice to help you choose your favorite way to celebrate. A national virtual festival to celebrate the 2021 theme, “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity” is hosted all month long by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. Go to https://asalh.org/festival/ for a list of free events open to the…

At Ballad Health, we believe everyone should be treated with respect. Our organization’s values include respect, faith and caring, and this applies to patients, visitors and fellow team members. To reinforce this, we have a Center for Diversity & Inclusion, headed up by members of Ballad Health leadership. The Diversity & Inclusion council’s mission is to help build a culture of value and respect for diversity at Ballad Health. We appreciate our differences and similarities. They enable us to better serve our patients, one another, and our communities. The Center for Diversity & Inclusion has been at work over the last year on various projects: Updating our system policies to make sure they are inclusive and compliant; Creating a new CBL for HealthStream, emphasizing respect for diversity; Working on provider education; Working on appropriate ways to get sensitive information from our patients for their medical record regarding sexual and religious history, gender information, etc.; Adding…

This is a message from Gary Metcalf, Ballad Health chaplain and corporate director of spiritual health services.   “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” Yoda, from Star Wars: Episode 1   There is an interesting diversity in one’s backyard. On any given day a variety of animals help themselves to whatever it has to offer. A rabbit nibbles on the tender grass near the garden. Two or three squirrels search for nuts along the ground. Birds such as robins, blue jays, mocking birds, crows, woodpeckers, and an assortment of smaller ones work the trees and the grass. Occasionally, a chipmunk will seek sunlight and food before going underground again. The fascinating thing about this mini-zoo is how well they accept one another. The rabbit doesn’t mind sharing the yard with squirrels and birds. The birds seem to have no problem that…