St. John’s Episcopal Hospital Takes a Knee
Posted on June 15, 2020
Today, St. John’s Episcopal Hospital (SJEH) team members gathered outside of the hospital to kneel in recognition of the black lives lost to police misconduct. The team members kneeled in unison for 8 minutes and 46 seconds—the amount of time a Minneapolis police officer knelt on an unarmed George Floyd's neck resulting in his death.
The peaceful demonstration was organized and attended by resident physician Chukwuebuka Udokwu, SJEH leadership, members of 1199SEIU, and the New York Police Department’s 101st Precinct.
“St. John’s Episcopal Hospital stands for social justice and equality for all people,” said Jerry Walsh, Chief Executive Officer. “We hear our community and stand in solidarity with them.”
“If anyone asks you what St. John’s stand for, tell them that we stand for social justice,” said Renee Hastick-Motes, Vice President of External Affairs. “We understand that if anyone in our community is crying and in need, then we as a hospital are crying and in need. We are one with our community.”
About St. John’s
St. John’s Episcopal Hospital is the only hospital providing emergency and ambulatory care to the densely populated, culturally and economically diverse, and medically underserved populations of the Rockaways and Five Towns in southern Queens County and southwestern Nassau County, New York. Celebrating over 110 years of community care in 2016, the 257-bed facility provides people of all faiths with comprehensive preventative, diagnostic, treatment, and rehabilitative services, regardless of ability to pay.
