Diversity A Growing Theme in Healthcare

So when WakeMed spokeswoman Kristin Kelly mentioned the hospital’s regular diversity potlucks and asked if I’d be interested in attending, I wasn’t going to turn down the invitation.

I wasn’t disappointed. The buffet included Chinese dumplings, Guatemalan tamales, Jamaican rum cake, Filipino spring rolls made with homemade wrappers and more. But I got a lot more from the experience than a tasty lunch.

As the group of 20 WakeMed employees queued up for lunch, each talked about his or her heritage and dish.

Teo Eclarinal, who works in telecom services, had brought Filipino chicken adobo. “It’s traditionally vinegar-based and served with fruits because they don’t have many vegetables on the island,” he explained.

Sue Cuevas, a retired hospital interpreter, introduced herself: “I came from Iraq. I’m pure Iraqi. No. I’m not a mutt.” Cuevas had brought dolmas, or stuffed grape leaves filled with lamb, onions, rice and garlic. (Someone else later quipped that Cuevas was invited to the lunch despite her retirement because organizer Anthony Newkirk loves her food.)

Pittsburgh native Mike Hartge, who works in rehabilitation, had brought kielbasa and sauerkraut. Pointing to the stuffed cabbage rolls, he asked, “Who brought the halupki?”

“I’m from Bosnia. That’s my dish,” responded Divna Kesetovic, who works in food and nutrition services. “Poland says it’s their dish. We say it’s our dish.”

A multitude of languages

Although listening to the stories about each cook’s dish and family history was interesting, the truly fascinating discussion happened as people sat down to eat.

Newkirk, a manager of employee relations and diversity, started these lunches when he joined WakeMed six years ago. “It’s a safe way for staff to enter into the discussion,” Newkirk said. It’s a way for staff members to improve their cultural knowledge to better understand their co-workers and to better serve patients. It soon became clear how much food is a part of that latter equation.

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Article written by: Andrea Weigl