Silver Cross’ Sarah Russell Invited to White House During AANHPI Month May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Sarah Russell welcomed the opportunity to visit the White House and represent the Asian American population during the AANHPI celebration forum held May 3 in Washington, DC.
May 3 is a day that Sarah Russell says she will never forget. The Silver Cross Applications Analyst and member/speaker of the hospital’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council was invited to travel to Washington, DC, by the White House Initiative to participate in their Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) celebration forum held in honor of AANHPI Heritage Month.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, an estimated 24 million Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders currently live in the U.S. The Asian American community is the fastest growing demographic group in the country, while Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are the third fastest growing population.
The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to advancing health equity and improving health outcomes of AANHPI communities. During AANHPI Heritage Month, our nation recognizes the innumerable contributions, vibrant cultures and rich heritage of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.
“I was shocked and honored to be invited to something so special that at first glance I mistakenly thought it was spam because it was too good to be true,” said Russell. “I had to do a double-take.”
Russell said there were 1,500 leaders from 30 U.S. states and territories in attendance at the White House Initiative. During the private breakout sessions, she said, there was opportunities for intimate discussions and large panel sessions with the current United States Presidential Administration, celebrities, community leaders and activists, AANHPI trailblazing poets, authors and musicians from across the world.
“I was inspired by attending the private breakout session, Advancing Justice Through Data Equity, and would like to bring more awareness to the Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities,” she said, adding, “I was equally impressed with the celebrities as I was with the Presidential Administration speakers who were mostly Asian and it made me feel seen. All were impressive, welcoming, knowledgeable, and candid about their experiences.”
The experience of going to the White House is something that Russell said she is still taking in.
“I knew this invitation was for me when I heard fellow Asian and United States Vice President Kamala Harris say, ‘You will often find that when you walk into that board room or that meeting room, you will be the only one there that looks like you or had your life experience. You walk in that room with your chin up and your shoulders back knowing that you are representing the voice of so many people that are so proud that you are in that room and that we are all in that room with you. You are not walking in that room alone.’ And I knew at that moment I am being represented and making an impact in people’s lives,” added Russell.
