The Health Equity Scholars with Charles Moore, education program manager of the Birmingham Civil Rights InstituteThe UAB Pediatrics Health Equity Scholars had their Spring Immersive Weekend on March 25-26.

During this weekend, the scholars learned more about Birmingham’s role in the Civil Rights Movement and the current work being done locally to improve equity. The group toured the Birmingham Civil Rights Museum and the Historic Bethel Baptist Church. Throughout the weekend, they had the opportunity to meet and sit down with several community leaders from the 1960s and today including:

• Uche Bean and Josh Coleman from the City of Birmingham’s Division of Social Justice and Racial Equity.

• Jesse J. Lewis, Sr., a legendary businessman and the founder of the Birmingham Times, a Black-owned newspaper founded in 1964 to give the city’s Black community a greater voice during the Civil Rights Movement.

• Richard Arrington, Jr., the first Black mayor of Birmingham.

• Martha Bouyer, executive director of the Historic Bethel Baptist Church Community Restoration Fund.

• Elouise Gladney, a foot soldier during the Civil Rights Movement.

• Richard Pizitz, the past president of the Pizitz Management Group.

• Thomas Wilder, pastor of Bethel Baptist Church.

• Mark Wilson, the Health Officer of Jefferson County.

• Odessa Woolfolk, an educator and community activist.

The Health Equity Scholars with Jesse J. Lewis Sr., founder of the Birmingham TimesThe Health Equity Scholars Program provides the opportunity for pediatric and medicine-pediatric residents to learn and participate in advances in child health equity through a two-year longitudinal and experiential curriculum. As part of the program, scholars participate in two immersive weekend experiences in the fall and spring. In the fall, the group visited the Black Belt and places pivotal to the Civil Rights Movement and areas battling current health disparities and inequities.