These Women Moved Mountains

2019 MLK Celebration: "Women in the Movement"

A luncheon & panel discussion with Mavis Claytor, MSN, RN, Mary Holmes, RN & Bishop Sarah Kelley
Jan. 25, 11:30 - 2 PM
African American Heritage Center, Jefferson School, Charlottesville
(information & RSVP here)

It's been 50 years since Mavis Ford Claytor (MSN `85, BSN `70) first stepped foot on Grounds in 1968, the University of Virginia's first African-American nursing student to enroll in its baccalaureate program.

Now, as the institution marks Martin Luther King Jr. day in 2019, nearly 51 years after King was assasinated, Claytor will return as an honored guest and panelist at UVA Health System's MLK Day festivities, alongside UVA nursing pioneer Mary Holmes, RN, and Bishop Sarah Kelley, UVA's first black chaplain resident.

"There are no boundaries now in nursing ... I did a lot of studying, I prayed, I practiced mindfulness, did many things to help me conquer the stressors of school and the workplace. I’ve done a lot of wonderful things – and, students, you will have wonderful contributions, too."

Mavis Ford Claytor (MSN `85, BSN `70), nursing pioneer, to UVA nursing students in 2017

The event, which takes place at Charlottesville's African American Heritage Center at the Jefferson School (233 4th Street NW, 2nd floor), is part of a lunch and panel discussion titled, "Women in the Movement." Claytor, Holmes, and Kelley will offer stories of their own experiences during integration, of their professional lives after, with help from two moderators, nursing PhD student Tori Tucker and 3rd year School of Medicine student Lois Davis.

> Read ONE OF UVA'S 'HIDDEN FIGURES' HONORED FOR BREAKING COLOR BARRIER (UVA Today, 4-10-17)

The Jan. 25 event, which takes place from 11:30 AM to 2 PM, will be followed by the presentation of the Dr. Martin luther King UVA Health System Award for 2019, presented annually to a student, faculty or staff member who embodies King's values and teachings in cultural competence, health care disparities, or fostering an environment of inclusiveness, in accordance with the institution's mission and values.

The forum is presented by the UVA Office of the Vice President and Chief Officer for Diversity and Equity, UVA's Schools of Nursing and Medicine, and the UVA Health System.

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