Staying true to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream of affordable healthcare for everyone, Henry Ford Health System will reach out to the community with information on the Affordable Care Act at a celebration Jan. 20 at Henry Ford Hospital.
Doors open at 11 a.m. for the 14th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration, with an opening musical performance by the Mosaic Singers at noon. Health Alliance Plan (HAP) representatives will be available during the event to answer questions about the Health Insurance Marketplace, with referrals to enrollment assistance sites.
“Dr. King said, ‘Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhumane,’” said Sharifa Alcendor, director of Patient Care Management and Assistance for Henry Ford Health System. “Then, inequity was due to race. Now, it’s due to affordability and access to quality health care. This is a whole new world now. It’s a right. It’s one more step in realizing Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream.”
Former Michigan Surgeon General and Henry Ford Chief Wellness Officer Kimberlydawn Wisdom, M.D., will serve as the master of ceremonies. Tonya Allen, president and CEO of The Skillman Foundation, is the keynote speaker. Previous keynote speakers include Black Entertainment Television’s Ed Gordon and Bankole Thompson, senior editor of the Michigan Chronicle.
During the event, the play “50 Years on the Road to Freedom” will bring to life a conversation between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., his widow, Coretta Scott King, and President Barack Obama.
The event, which ends at 1:30 p.m., will be held in the Buerki Auditorium at Henry Ford Hospital, 2799 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit.
For questions, please call 313-874-5005.
