Jefferson Humanities & Health

Wednesday, January 22, Hamilton 208/209, 12-1PM. Lunch provided. Open to Jefferson students, faculty, and staff.

A microaggression is an unintentional and unconscious action that can negatively affect our day-to-day human interactions. They cause real harm to individuals. There is a large amount of evidence that it can be a major factor in the creation of disparities in the healthcare environment that can ultimately lead to patient-care disparities. In this session, we will define microaggressions, its documented effects in medicine, the concept of silent collusion, and the steps one can take to disarm the effects of microaggression.

At the end of the session, the attendees will be able to

• Define microaggressions.
• Give two examples of how microaggressions affect the patient care environment.
• Define “silent collusion.”
• Name at least three techniques to address a witnessed microaggression.

Facilitator: Bernard L. Lopez, MD, MS, CPE, FACEP, FAAEM, Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion, Thomas Jefferson University.

Participants who have already attended the session on October 14, 2024 will not be eligible to count this session towards the Asano Humanities & Health Certificate or the Anti-Racism in Health Focus twice.

Questions? Contact Kirsten Bowen, Humanities Program Coordinator.

Wednesday, January 22, 12-1PM. Zoom. Open to Jefferson students, faculty and staff.

How do we support patients and families when illness brings tough decisions and differing viewpoints? Join our panel of experts as they unpack the challenges of navigating disagreement, share practical communication strategies, and explore ways to build trust and collaboration during difficult moments.

This is not a Jefferson Humanities & Health event but credit is available for the Asano Humanities & Health Certificate.

Monday, January 27, Hamilton 210/211, 5-6:30PM. Dinner provided. Open to Jefferson students.

Reconnecting

Research has shown that our relationships with ourselves, others, and nature have a profound impact on physical health and psychological well-being. In this in-person workshop, we will use the arts to explore ways of building and maintaining this all-important sense of connection. Facilitated by Peggy Tileston, MT-BC and Sondra Rosenberg, ATR-BC. A light dinner will be served.

About the Creative Approaches to Self-Care Series

In order to care effectively for others, we must first learn to care for ourselves. This interdisciplinary series is designed to engage students in self-care practices that promote healthy stress management and burnout prevention. Workshops will address topics including how to cope with stress and anxiety, cultivate relaxation techniques, find balance and develop self-compassion.

Co-presented with the Student Counseling Center (SCC)

Questions? Contact Kirsten Bowen, Humanities Program Coordinator.

Tuesday, January 28, Hamilton 224/225, 6-7:30PM. 

Have you ever found yourself questioning current circumstances in healthcare? Are you interested in learning more or being part of change? JeffAMA will be hosting an event on how to get involved in health policy with Pennyslvania Medical Society (PAMED). Join us for an evening to learn about the organization that votes on policies regarding overdose prevention, health equity, healthcare costs, and much more. The event will involve a presentation on PAMED by the former president of the Philadelphia County Medical Society, Dr. John M. Vasudaven, followed by information on how you can write policies with our organization. This is also a great opportunity for those interested in this work and seeking a peer-reviewed publication. Discover how health policy shapes our communities on different levels and see how you can make an impact as a student!

This is not a Jefferson Humanities & Health event, but credit is available for the Asano Humanities & Health Certificate.

Wednesday, January 29, 12-1PM, BLSB 105. Dinner provided. Open to students, faculty, and staff.

Every person has a story. In this candid conversation series, we’ll talk with community members about their real experiences at the intersection of healthcare, wellbeing and identity. Each guest brings unique insights and expertise into problems of health that span social and clinical dimensions, and engage questions of access, equity and justice. Sessions will be led by an interprofessional team of Jefferson student moderators and include interactive Q&A with attendees.

Special guest: Pastor R. Shawn Edmonds

Join us for a discussion on Black men's mental health with Pastor R. Shawn Edmonds.

R. Shawn Edmonds stands as a thought-provoking visionary, driven by a fervent commitment to helping others uncover and fulfill their life's purpose. As a dynamic figure in the faith community, he actively challenges the conventional norms that often hinder personal growth and impede the journey toward a brighter future. His leadership embodies progress and innovation.

With an unwavering dedication to empowerment, R. Shawn is resolute in his mission to equip those under his guidance. As the Lead Pastor of Capacity Church, nestled in Germantown, he embraces the privilege of leading individuals toward unlocking their full potential and exploring boundless possibilities.

Beyond his pastoral role, R. Shawn is a serial entrepreneur within the expansive Edmonds Enterprises. This multifaceted venture encompasses real estate, culinary endeavors, apparel, and technology services. Regardless of the capacity in which he serves, his authentic nature and profound passion shine through in every endeavor and interaction.

Community Voices is presented by the Jefferson College of Population Health, the Jefferson Center for Interprofessional Practice & Education, and Jefferson Humanities & Health.

Questions? Please contact Kirsten Bowen, Humanities Program Coordinator.

Friday, January 31, 12-1PM, Hamilton 505. Lunch provided.

Join NODA for a lunch talk with Dr. Oxman, a member of the Jefferson's Hospital Ethics Committee, as he discusses the complexities of medical ethics, focusing on end-of-life care decision-making.

This is not a Jefferson Humanities & Health event but credit towards the Asano Humanities & Health Certificate is available.

Tuesday, February 4, 5-7PM, Jefferson Alumni Hall Eakins Lounge. Open to Jefferson students, faculty, and staff.

Join us for a special performance of the world-premiere musical Night Side Songs presented by Philadelphia Theatre Company, in association with American Repertory Theatre.

Directed by PTC Co-Artistic Director Taibi Magar, and featuring words & music by The Lazours, this ground-breaking musical explores the intimacy of illness, mortality, and the incredible dignity of caregivers. 

Content Warnings: Description(s) of medical procedures, cancer treatments, and caregiving; dramatizations of grief and the loss of a parent; strong language.

Runtime: approximately 100 minutes, no intermission

Questions? Contact Kirsten Bowen, Humanities Program Coordinator.

Wednesday, February 5, BLSB 105, 12-1PM. Lunch provided. Open to Jefferson students.

We are excited to announce a follow-up meeting for the impactful Microaggressions: An Implicit Factor in Suboptimal Human Interactions sessions led by Dr. Bernard Lopez that will be facilitated by second-year medical students and Asano Anti-Racism in Health Focus Student Liaisons Mat Rodriguez and Obehioye Isesele.

This session will build on the discussions and insights from the initial workshop, fostering continued growth and collaboration in addressing microaggressions in healthcare, and highlight tools to combat microaggression. 

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue and actionable change!

Questions? Contact Kirsten Bowen, Humanities Program Coordinator.

Thursday, February 6, 12-1PM, Hamilton 224/225. Lunch provided. Open to Jefferson students, faculty, and staff.

We all have a soundtrack that marks the many chapters of our lives. Teaching artist Josh Robinson will facilitate a reflection through your musical past, your stories, and the role music has played throughout your life. The workshop uses music as a vehicle to help participants connect to others and reconnect to themselves. Participants will be guided to reflect on the meaning of various songs in their lives and how music has helped them through both positive and negative experiences.

About the facilitator

Josh Robinson is a professional percussionist, teaching artist, and drum facilitator. He has been a visiting instructor in the Humanities at Thomas Jefferson University for the past four years and is in his second year as the Humanities artist-in-residence. For the past 19 years, Josh has used his skills, expertise, and life experience to share drumming and the many gifts it brings with thousands of people each year around the country. Learn more about Josh at joshrobinsondrums.com.

This program is open to Jefferson students, faculty and staff of all colleges and programs.

Students who attended the Soundtrack to Your Life session on November 12, 2024 for Asano credit are not eligible to count this event for Asano credit.

Questions? Contact Kirsten Bowen, Humanities Program Coordinator.

Wednesday, February 12, BLSB 15, 5-6:30PM. Dinner provided. Open to Jefferson students, faculty, and staff.

How do you know when someone is confused by what you've just said? How do you tell when someone is angry? How do you know when YOU are confused or angry? Albert Mehrabian, a researcher of body language, first broke down the components of a face-to-face conversation and found that communication is 55% nonverbal, 38% vocal, and 7% words only. Over 90% of how you communicate has nothing to do with what you say.

In current cultures we tend to focus a lot on the words that we say, the facts we know, the arguments we've cultivated. This workshop harnesses our attention to address the other 90% -- how can you know more about the non-intellectual, qualitative impact you're having on someone else, and how can you make adjustments to the ways you communicate non-verbally to deepen trust, foster confidence, invite more disclosure, and even enjoy connecting with others, even over a brief time.

At the end of the session, the attendees will be able to

• Identify common emotional states and how they appear on various bodies.

• Witness and analyze various non-verbal signals (including posture, gesture, vocal tension) to determine what stories they may tell

• Gain awareness of what emotional states may exist in their bodies and how to name and identify them

• Name at least three techniques to adjust non-verbal communication to increase desired outcomes.

Facilitator: Emme Kennedy, MFA, Education Programs Administrator at Sidney Kimmel Medical College, MFA from University of the Arts'/Pig Iron Theatre Company in Devised Performance, former Experience Consulting Creative Producer at Museum Hack.

Questions? Contact Kirsten Bowen, Humanities Program Coordinator.

Wednesday, February 12, Connelly Auditorium, 7PM. 

Join us for a vibrant showcase of student talent, where creativity and compassion converge in celebration of the arts in healthcare. This event features artists from all backgrounds sharing their unique crafts, creating a dynamic atmosphere of collaboration and inspiration for both the performers and the school community. The event is open to students from all programs to perform and attend. We kindly ask all attendees to bring at least one item for donation—such as socks, winter wear (adults and kids), toiletries, or menstrual products—to benefit the JeffHOPE clinics. Your participation not only supports the arts but also helps provide essential supplies to those in need. Come experience the healing power of art, and make a difference in the lives of others!

This is not a Humanities & Health event but credit is available for the Asano Humanities & Health Certificate.

Thursday, February 13, JAH Eakins Lounge, 12-1PM. Lunch provided while supplies last. Open to Jefferson students, faculty, and staff.

Dr. Sydelle Ross is an anesthesiologist and pain specialist who currently practices hospice and palliative medicine in the New Jersey Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.  As a classical and jazz vocalist, Dr. Ross incorporates music into her medical practice as a way of providing comfort to patients and their loved ones in the context of  life-threatening or life-limiting illness.  As an arts in health advocate, Dr. Ross also harnesses the power of music to mitigate the effects of burnout syndrome, promoting resilience among healthcare workers.  She has been invited to share her work at the intersection of the arts and health at various conferences in the US and abroad.  

Dr. Ross is a dual member of the International Association of Music and Medicine (IAMM) and the Music & Medicine Committee of the American Medical Women’s Association(AMWA).  She served on the executive committee for the inaugural issue of the Healing Arts In Medicine Journal- a collaborative effort between AMWA and The Rutger’s University Women’s Health Institute of NJ.  Dr. Ross’s work has been featured in the acclaimed publication entitled Artists Remaking Medicine-The Practice of Imagination and the Power to Create a Better Healthcare Future. 

The Humanities Concert Series is made possible through a generous gift from Deborah L. August, MD, MPH and Robert H. Rosenwasser, MD, FACS, FAHA.

Questions? Contact Kirsten Bowen, Humanities Program Coordinator.

Friday, February 14, 8:30-10:00AM or 10:30am-12:00PM, Hamilton Second Floor. Open to Jefferson students.

This in-person experience simulates a birthing plan meeting with your patient, Melody, and her partner, who are played by simulated patients. Prior to the meeting, you will read her patient record and articles relating to racial disparities in Black maternal health. You will work in interprofesional teams of 5-6 students and brief as a team before meeting with Melody and her partner to provide your recommendations regarding the birthing plan. This takes place in-person. 

Email Jefferson Center for Interprofessional Practice & Education to reserve a spot.

This is not a Jefferson Humanities & Health event, but credit is available towards the Asano Humanities & Health Certificate and the Anti-Racism in Health Focus.

Wednesday, February 19, 5-6PM, Kanbar Performance Space in the Kanbar Campus Center, 4201 Henry Ave, Philadelphia.  Light refreshments served.

Friction, discomfort, competition, and conflict play a role in our lives in large and small ways. Our creativity can help us to not only manage difficult situations but find inspiration and even partnership within opposition. This year, the Creativity Core Curriculum is having multiple events around the theme of "Creativity within Conflict." We will explore meaningful and productive thinking about the value of creativity as a source of resilience in challenging times.

This event provides an opportunity for you to hear from Jefferson faculty from diverse disciplines as they consider how conflict manifests into creativity in their work process and products. Short presentations will be followed by interactive discussion and Q/A.

Panelists include:

Prof. Stephen DiDonato, PhD, LPC: Associate Professor, Jefferson College of Nursing and Senior Director for Strategic Engagements and Innovation, Jefferson Trauma Education Network

Prof. Lyn Godley: Professor of Industrial Design and Director, the Jefferson Center for Immersive Arts for Health

Prof. David Nitsch, PhD, MPH: Director, Emergency & Disaster Management Programs

Prof. Renée Walker: Associate Professor of Visual Communication Design and Partner, Gold Collective

Questions may be directed to Maribeth Kradel-Weitzel:

This is not a Jefferson Humanities & Health event, but credit is available for the Asano Humanities & Health Certificate.

Monday, February 24, 12-1PM, JAH 207. Lunch provided. Open to Jefferson students, faculty, and staff.

The Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) play a significant role in individual and population health outcomes. SDOH is affected by many factors. One factor is racism as it affects all aspects of SDOH. In this session, we’ll define racism, examine its history as it relates to the social determinants of health, and examine the city of Philadelphia’s health outcomes by neighborhood. 

Objectives – at the end of the session, learners will be able to: 

• Define the institution of racism and its many forms, including structural racism 
• List 5 components of the Social Determinants of Health 
• Discuss the importance of structural competency 
• Discuss examples of structural racism’s effects as a barrier to health equity 

Facilitator: Bernard L. Lopez, MD, MS, CPE, FACEP, FAAEM, Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion, Thomas Jefferson University.

Questions? Contact Kirsten Bowen, Humanities Program Coordinator.

Monday, February 24, Hamilton 210/211. 5-6:30PM. Dinner provided. Open to Jefferson students.

Restoring Balance

It’s so easy to feel off-balance - to feel torn between polarities of work-rest, doing-being, dark-light, joy-sorrow…and to be knocked off-center by unexpected events or changes. In this workshop we will explore and engage in creative practices that promote an awareness of what balance/imbalance feels, sounds and looks like, and what helps us restore and return to a sense of balance.

Facilitated by Peggy Tileston, MT-BC and Sondra Rosenberg, ATR-BC.

About the Creative Approaches to Self-Care Series

In order to care effectively for others, we must first learn to care for ourselves. This interdisciplinary series is designed to engage students in self-care practices that promote healthy stress management and burnout prevention. Workshops will address topics including how to cope with stress and anxiety, cultivate relaxation techniques, find balance and develop self-compassion.

Please note: This workshop is in-person and open to Jefferson students only; pre-registration required.

Co-presented with the Student Counseling Center (SCC)

Questions? Contact Kirsten Bowen, Humanities Program Coordinator.

Wednesday, February 26, 5-6:30PM, BLSB 105. Dinner provided. Open to Jefferson students, faculty, and staff.

Every person has a story. In this candid conversation series, we’ll talk with community members about their real experiences at the intersection of healthcare, wellbeing and identity. Each guest brings unique insights and expertise into problems of health that span social and clinical dimensions, and engage questions of access, equity and justice. Sessions will be led by an interprofessional team of Jefferson student moderators and include interactive Q&A with attendees.

Special guest: Oronde McClain

Oronde McClain is the founder of the Oronde McClain Foundation and a survivor of gun violence. In April 2000 at the age of 10, Oronde was shot in the head while walking in his Mt. Airy neighborhood. He was in a coma for a month, and was unable to talk or walk for 18 months. Today, Oronde is a full-time father of five, a loving husband, and a college graduate who works as a psych nurse for the government. He has transformed his life-altering experience into a driving force for change by establishing the Oronde McClain Foundation which advocates for gun violence prevention and helps gun violence survivors cope. Oronde is an author and motivational speaker who hosts events to give back to the community, and educates others on the effects of gun violence on his own life on the lives of children in general. This year Oronde joined the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting as the organization’s first Credible Messenger Newsroom Liaison. "I work with journalists and news organizations in Philadelphia in an effort to build and strengthen relationships with the Center, share knowledge and work together to advance the practice of reporting on gun violence. The Center and I share a common goal of exploring the idea that changing the way journalists and news organizations report on gun violence can prevent shootings and save lives." With his expertise as a gun violence survivor, plus working for 20 years in affected Germantown, he embraces the privilege of leading individuals toward unlocking their full potential and exploring boundless possibilities.

Read or listen to this interview with Oronde McClain and WHYY.

Community Voices is presented by the Jefferson College of Population Health, the Jefferson Center for Interprofessional Practice & Education, and Jefferson Humanities & Health.

Questions? Please contact Kirsten Bowen, Humanities Program Coordinator.

Thursday, March 6, 6-7PM, Zoom.

Join us online for a conversation between artist Dominic Quagliozzi and curator Amanda Cachia. This conversation is held in conjunction with the exhibition "Dominic Quagliozzi: Corporis Fabrica" at Helix Gallery at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.

CART captioning and ASL Interpretation provided. 

For more information, visit here..

Tuesday, March 18, 12-1PM, Scott Memorial Library 200A. Lunch provided. Open to Jefferson students.

Join us for a discussion of a chapter from the 2023 Pulitzer Prize finalist Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on Health in America by Linda Villarosa.

In Under the Skin, Linda Villarosa lays bare the forces in the American health-care system and in American society that cause Black people to “live sicker and die quicker” compared to their white counterparts. Today’s medical texts and instruments still carry fallacious slavery-era assumptions that Black bodies are fundamentally different from white bodies. Study after study of medical settings show worse treatment and outcomes for Black patients. Black people live in dirtier, more polluted communities due to environmental racism and neglect from all levels of government. And, most powerfully, Villarosa describes the new understanding that coping with the daily scourge of racism ages Black people prematurely. Anchored by unforgettable human stories and offering incontrovertible proof, Under the Skin is dramatic, tragic, and necessary reading.

Participants will be informed when the reading becomes available. Copies of Under the Skin will be available for students after the discussion. 

Facilitators:

Krys Foster, MD, MPH, Clinical Associate Professor, Associate Residency Program Director, Thomas Jefferson University.

Katherine Hubbard, MA, Teaching Instructor, JeffMD Humanities Selectives, Sidney Kimmel Medical College.

Participants are expected to read, and come prepared to discuss, the text selected for each session. To access the reading, participants must visit the Health Humanities Reading Group module in the Jefferson Humanities & Health organization on Canvas. Most Asano students are already users in the Humanities & Health Canvas course. If that is not the case, participants may email Kirsten Bowen, Humanities Program Coordinator..

About the Health Humanities Reading Group:

The Health Humanities Reading Group gathers regularly to think critically about health as it is understood through various disciplinary perspectives, social contexts and value systems. This ongoing program is open to students, faculty and staff, and offers an informal learning environment facilitated by participants. Participants are expected to read, and come prepared to discuss, the text selected for each session.

Friday, March 21, 12-1PM, Scott Memorial Library 200A. Lunch provided.

The Health Humanities Reading Group will discuss anti-racism in relation to food, foodways, veganism and cookbooks. Special guest discussant Dr. Marilisa Navarro will join the group in considering how two cookbooks—Afro-Vegan by Bryant Terry and Decolonize Your Diet by Luz Calvo and Catriona Esquibel—go beyond conveying recipes to produce knowledge, critique racism and colonialism, deconstruct the white-centric veganism narrative, and highlight the voices, histories and experiences of people of color.

Reading: Marilisa C. Navarro, “Radical Recipe: Veganism as Anti-Racism”
Time: 18 min read

Special guest discussant: Marilisa C. Navarro, PhD, Assistant Professor of African American Studies, College of Humanities and Sciences, Thomas Jefferson University.

Participants are expected to read, and come prepared to discuss, the selected reading. To access the reading, participants must visit the Anti-Racism in Health Focus module of the Jefferson Humanities & Health organization on Canvas.

Questions? Contact Kirsten Bowen, Humanities Program Coordinator.

Monday, March 24, Online via Zoom. 5-6PM. Open to Jefferson students.

Coping with Stress

In this virtual, art-based workshop, participants will engage in a variety of practices designed to reduce stress. Learn how to identify the physical and emotional symptoms of stress and how to move through them to a more grounded and relaxed state. Facilitated by Sondra Rosenberg, ATR-BC.

About the Creative Approaches to Self-Care Series

In order to care effectively for others, we must first learn to care for ourselves. This interdisciplinary series is designed to engage students in self-care practices that promote healthy stress management and burnout prevention. Workshops will address topics including how to cope with stress and anxiety, cultivate relaxation techniques, find balance and develop self-compassion.

Please note: This workshop is virtual and open to Jefferson students only; pre-registration required. A Zoom link will be provided in the Eventbrite order confirmation and the event reminder from Eventbrite, which will be emailed 48 hours before the event. If you do not receive the Zoom link, please contact Kirsten Bowen at [email protected].

Co-presented with the Student Counseling Center (SCC)

Questions? Contact Kirsten Bowen, Humanities Program Coordinator.

Wednesday, April 2, 5-6PM, Kanbar Performance Space in the Kanbar Campus Center, 4201 Henry Ave, Philadelphia. Light refreshments served.

Friction, discomfort, competition, and conflict play a role in our lives in large and small ways. Our creativity can help us to not only manage difficult situations but find inspiration and even partnership within opposition. This year, the Creativity Core Curriculum is having multiple events around the theme of "Creativity within Conflict." We will explore meaningful and productive thinking about the value of creativity as a source of resilience in challenging times.

Speaker, Yphtach Lelkes, is co-director of the Center for Information Networks and Democracy and co-director of the Polarization Research Lab. His presentation will speak to how the tension between exploration—seeking out new ideas—and exploitation—relying on the familiar—drives decision-making across all levels of life, from primitive organisms searching for food to algorithms shaping our newsfeeds. Exploration sparks discovery and learning but can spread misinformation or overwhelm us with novelty. Exploitation, while efficient and reliable, risks creating echo chambers and deepening societal divides through hyper-personalized content. Through examples spanning nature, social systems, and AI, we'll uncover how to balance the positives and pitfalls of these dynamics to foster better decisions, healthier information habits, and fairer algorithms that can support creativity.

Questions about any of these events may be directed to Maribeth Kradel-Weitzel

This is not a Jefferson Humanities & Health event but credit is available for the Asano Humanities & Health Certificate.

Monday, April 7, Online via Zoom, 5-6PM. Open to Jefferson students.

Self-Care Medley [Music & Writing Edition]

In order to effectively care for others, we must first learn to care for ourselves. This virtual workshop will introduce you to a variety of music-based experiences designed to promote healthy stress management and burnout prevention. Facilitated by Peggy Tileston, MT-BC.

About the Creative Approaches to Self-Care Series

In order to care effectively for others, we must first learn to care for ourselves. This interdisciplinary series is designed to engage students in self-care practices that promote healthy stress management and burnout prevention. Workshops will address topics including how to cope with stress and anxiety, cultivate relaxation techniques, find balance and develop self-compassion.

Please note: This workshop is virtual and open to Jefferson students only; pre-registration required. A Zoom link will be provided in the Eventbrite order confirmation and the event reminder from Eventbrite, which will be emailed 48 hours before the event. If you do not receive the Zoom link, please contact Kirsten Bowen at [email protected].

Co-presented with the Student Counseling Center (SCC)

Questions? Contact Kirsten Bowen, Humanities Program Coordinator.