| MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Welcome to the Birmingham Black Nurses Association, Inc. (BBNA).
First, I want to thank you, our members, corporate sponsors, and collaborating partners for helping us help others in our communities. We had several challenges in 2009 which included economic, physical and emotional hardships. I am proud to say that in spite of the challenges you helped us make a difference in persons lives by supporting programs which included the following: Health Fairs and Blood Pressure Screenings, Sickle Cell Gala, School Supplies Drive, Coats for Kids, Sickle Cell Walk, Breast Cancer Walk, Walk from Obesity and Nurses Day at the Capitol to advocate for nurses and patient issues and rights and our Nursing Students Scholarship Awards program.
We the Birmingham Black Nurses Association, Inc. (BBNA) are working with you, our members, the community, corporate sponsors and collaborating partners to improve the quality of healthcare for not only African Americans but persons of all ethnicities. Our mission includes fulfilling the mission of the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) and BBNA. That mission is to provide a forum for collective action by black nurses to investigate, define and advocate for the health care needs of African Americans and to implement strategies that ensure access to health care, equal to, or above health care standards of the larger society.
During these times of tightening budgets and economic turmoil our National President, Dr. Debra Toney and I ask you to continue to commit in supporting our programs and requests.
We have several initiatives that we must focus our attention on this year.
When I started my campaign focus was that of Recruitment, Retention and Expansion of membership. These three areas of focus go along with the vision of our National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) President, Dr. Debra Toney, for MORE.
- M=members
- O=opportunities and outcomes
- R=resources and research
- E=empowerment and excellence
MORE Members
We are focusing on the M in MORE this year in that our focus is “Touch One, Add One”
Let us strengthen our membership by increasing our membership. Our members and future members are our greatest asset. We have a large community of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and nursing students that are not a part of BBNA. I encourage our members to encourage friends, colleagues and family members to join BBNA. We have great benefits, but most of all we want to provide service to our members, students, future members and the community. I need you our members and future members to provide more and improve services to the people in the greater Birmingham and surrounding areas. I need you to be a voice in our legislative process to effect change not just in the Alabama legislative process but nationally. There is power in numbers. I challenge our members to recruit at least two new members and I challenge you our future member to join.
With more members, we will have more opportunities and outcomes, more resources and research and more empowerment and excellence to provide more services to our members and our communities.
MORE Opportunities and Outcomes
Every challenge is an opportunity for growth. We have several committees working to improve opportunities and outcomes. Listed are some of our committees: Membership Committee, Mentorship Committee, Education Committee, Scholarship and Awards Committee, Program Committee, Community Outreach and Health Committee, Health Policy Committee, Publicity and Public Relations Committee, Nominating Committee, and Hospitality Committee. We encourage you to work with at least one committee.
MORE Resources and Research
Please use our resources i.e. members in specialty organizations, NBNA.org, online resources, wisely and focus on more evidenced based research. My goal for us is to increase awareness, increase our knowledge and help advocate for legislation that decrease the risk factors that lead to health disparities.
MORE Empowerment and Excellence
We are a dynamic group with dynamic powers and excellence that sometimes we ourselves are not aware. There is power in numbers. There is power in pulling together and legislating for decrease disparities in health care. We at BBNA are committed to excellence. We are committed to empowering ourselves and persons in our community. I am committed to assisting our members and the community in empowering ourselves and striving daily toward excellence.
We are proud to announce the start of the second Black Nurses Association in the state of Alabama, the Montgomery Black Nurses Association (MBNA). The President of the MBNA is Susie Jones.
I challenge you to join us in supporting the following programs: Sickle Cell Gala, Health Fairs, Blood Pressure Screenings, School Supplies Drive, Nurses Day at the Capitol Rally, Soles for Souls, Men’s Health Workshop, Walk from Obesity, Breast Cancer Walk, and our Legends in White Nursing Students Scholarship Gala. I also challenge you to join us by completing our membership application. For more information on the Birmingham Black Nurses Association, Inc., please continue to view our website or contact us by phone or email.
In Service,
Carthenia W. Jefferson, RN, Esq.
President, BBNA
Email: info@birminghambna.org
Phone: 205.324.1505
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