March is Women's History Month, which is a celebration of women’s contributions to history, culture, and society.
This year’s theme is a tribute to the work of caregivers and frontline workers during this ongoing pandemic and also a recognition of the ways women inspire others. We've asked MSU Public Health faculty and staff to share who inspires them and drives their passion to make a difference.
To be included in this article, we invite all faculty, community partners, students, and alumni to submit a paragraph honoring a woman in your life. Include a photo with your submission and email to Jill Vondrasek at vondras4@msu.edu.
Jennifer E. Johnson on Pastor Pamela Lockhart and Bishop Bernadel Jefferson:
Bishop Bernadel Jefferson is everywhere in Flint working and fighting for the greater good. She was advocating for attention to Flint’s water situation even back in 2013 and 2014. She has marched with her grandchildren in the snow and the rain, and she has driven to Washington DC to advocate for Flint. She has a long-standing ministry to youth in North Flint, and has many of her own children and many adopted children. In the course of being a pastor during Spring of 2020, she was going to/leading a COVID funeral every week. She is well-connected and influential but also wise and humble. She seems to know everyone – with an outreach that includes court, jail, youth, neighborhood organizing, human trafficking prevention, and an annual Christmas in February where she gives away piles of gifts. She is everywhere - a force to be reckoned with, but also someone that people just want to hug.
I have been inspired by Pastor Pamela Lockhart, a long-time resident of Flint who passed away this year. She experienced an unexpected turn of events that left her homeless for a few weeks. Others who were living on the streets helped to take care of her. When her family found her and helped her regain housing, she devoted her ministry for the rest of her life to serving individuals experiencing homelessness. She hosted an annual barbeque, did street outreach, and more. By the time I met her, she was losing her eyesight, but she was still reaching out, lifting others, trying to make life better for individuals experiencing homelessness, and loving and serving those around her. She had a beautiful voice, an unconquerable spirit, and an enormous heart. I miss her and I hope that my life can be half as well lived as hers was.
Mona Hanna-Attisha on the Women Who Inspire Her
"We need to take moments like this to really celebrate the long-standing achievements of women in public health, environmental activism, and social change."
Mona Hanna-Attisha spoke to Atmos Magazine about Flint, climate change, and the women who inspire her.
READ MORE
March 8th, 2022
