YONKERS, N.Y. (NEWS10) – In honor of Black History Month, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Senator Shelley Mayer are hosting a Facebook Live conversation with medical experts on healthcare disparity in the Black community on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. The lawmakers encourage residents to watch the free event called “Reaching Health Equity” to learn about the history of health inequality, how disparities impact health outcomes today, and how we overcome them.

The Senators will be joined by Nurse Susan Moscou, an Associate Professor at Mercy College, Dr. Mill Etienne, Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion at New York Medical College, and health justice advocate, Dr. Chris T. Pernell. The group will address the challenges ahead due to disparities, including vaccine hesitancy, education and awareness. Additionally, they will look at how to increase diversity in the medical field.

“For Black History Month, I wanted to focus on something timely, which was greatly impacted by our history. Healthcare disparity didn’t start with COVID-19, but it has reached a fever pitch,” Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said. “Education about how we got here and where we go from here will be critically important in saving lives, Black lives. I look forward to the conversation and thank my co-host Senator Mayer and the excellent guests who will be joining us.”

“I am pleased to co-host this important event in commemoration of Black History Month with my friend and colleague Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins,” Senator Shelley B. Mayer said. “Health disparities in the Black community are part of the systemic injustices that perpetuate inequality and have devastating consequences that are a matter of life & death for community members. I look forward to hearing from the panelists & experts and having the discussion inform what steps we must take to break down disparities in the healthcare system.”

“Reaching Health Equity” can also be viewed on Zoom.