Today’s Topic is Black History Month

NOVA’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is sponsoring a number of events for Black History Month and is coordinating a calendar of all NOVA activities across the month. This calendar is being updated along the way, so please check in regularly.

The national theme of Black History Month this year is Black Health and Wellness, which recognizes the achievements of Black scholars, researchers and medical professionals in Western medicine and other care pathways that can be traced back to the African diaspora.

The theme also calls attention to the disparate access to and outcomes from healthcare experienced by the Black community, including the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on communities of color. A number of organizations are using this month to shine a light on the need for increased access to mental health services within Black communities. According to the American Psychiatric Association, only one in three African Americans who needs mental health services receives them—in part because of barriers such as cost, insurance and lack of culturally competent care. In this spirit, I want to highlight the free, confidential access to telehealth mental healthcare services that all NOVA students now have through TimelyCare and encourage you to share the news of this resource with our students.

Thank you for your commitment to a NOVA culture grounded in equity, empathy and inclusive excellence and for your support of this month’s activities.