Pfizer Sites Across the U.S. Commemorate Juneteenth

Last month, in recognition of Juneteenth, Pfizer’s Global Black Community (GBC) colleague resource group commemorated the recently enacted Federal holiday with a collection of events at Pfizer sites across the country. Colleagues from Bothell, Washington to Cambridge, Massachusetts fostered a sense of solidarity and honored our shared legacy by organizing activities such as barbecues, networking socials, flag ceremonies, drum circles, speaker events, freedom walks, educational booths, community service, and more.

At the Pearl River, New York site, the GBC team hosted a conversation with author Tunde Gbotosho, whose book, How to Talk to Black People, sparked thought-provoking questions among colleagues from different backgrounds and challenged them to examine their own biases.

"As a relatively new concept in the Northeast, Juneteenth has become increasingly important to us as we've become more aware of its historical and cultural significance, said Ify Urama, Senior Associate, Project Manager, Vaccines Research and Development and GBC Pearl River Site Co-Lead. “Hosting a Juneteenth event at our site allows us to honor and celebrate Freedom Day, educate our colleagues about the historical context of Juneteenth, and foster a more inclusive and diverse environment. Through these discussions, we created a space where colleagues felt comfortable discussing race, diversity, and inclusion.”

The recently established GBC site in Tampa, Florida, took advantage of the occasion to introduce the colleague resource group to the more than 500 colleagues at the site and inform them about Juneteenth and Black history in the Tampa Bay region.

“We invited local historian Fred Hearns, who is an expert in our area's history and the curator for Black History at the Tampa Bay history center," said Mialaysia Pollard, Senior Associate Accountant and GBC Tampa Site Co-Lead. "Learning about Tampa Bay's Black history fosters meaningful conversations and learning opportunities among colleagues."  

The 17 GBC sites also collaborated to support and fundraise for March of Dimes’ March for Babies campaign, which helps tackle the Black maternal crisis. This support marks a pivotal step toward improving health outcomes for Black mothers and babies. Together, we are advocating for a more equitable and just healthcare system.