September 2022
Marshala Lee MD, MPH, President, First State Chapter, NMA
Dear Colleagues and Community Members,
It is indeed an honor to serve as the President of the First State Chapter of the National Medical Association. The NMA was founded in 1895 and promotes the collective interests of physicians and patients of African descent. We carry out this mission by serving as the collective voice of physicians of African descent and a leading force for parity in medicine, elimination of health disparities and promotion of optimal health.
The COVID-19 pandemic has given us a new call to action. Pre-pandemic disparities allowed a global pandemic to produce drastically disproportionate health impacts from community to community. It has been indeed an honor to serve my community during this very difficult time but there is more work to be done. Today brings new hope and new challenges. The ghosts of our past and current factors such as the recent overturning of Roe vs Wade, gun violence, racism, voter suppression, and economic inequalities continue to plague our efforts to reduce health disparities. Many of us have accepted the baton in efforts to combat what appears to be a mammoth of a task, but it’s going to take sustained commitment and efforts from us all eliminate health disparities in our communities.
It’s covid-19 today believe me the next pandemic is right around the corner. We must continue to work together to improve the health of our communities while simultaneously caring for each other. I look forward to your support, participation and ongoing engagement as we all work to further mission and values of the National Medical Association.
In closing, I would like to leave you with a few words the late Congressman John Lewis.
“Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”
Sincerely,
Marshala Lee-McCall, MD, MPH, FAAFP
President
The First State Chapter of the National Medical Association