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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT - APRIL / MAY 2009

Saint Anthony Hospital Strengthens Community Relationships Through Art Exhibit, “The African Presence in Mexico”

Photo of Saint Anthony CEO with students

Photo of Saint Anthony CEO with students

Saint Anthony Hospital sits on the border of the North Lawndale and Pilsen neighborhoods, making it a natural location for community building among the largely Latino and African American families it serves in 13 different Chicago communities, including North and South Lawndale, Lower West, Pilsen, Little Village and Back of the Yards.

Using art and culture as a springboard to help young people better understand their neighbors, Saint Anthony Hospital hosted a teen forum for African-American and Latino high school students on April 2, 2009. It was presented in conjunction with the National Museum of Mexican Art, based on the museum’s exhibit, “The African Presence in Mexico.” A portion of the exhibit currently is on display at the hospital.

The portable exhibition will run at St. Anthony Hospital through its June 6 “Summer Fest” event, which will feature free health screenings courtesy of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). IDPH is the lead funder of the traveling exhibition, which also is receiving strong support from the Chicago Community Trust. The program is an example of the kind of innovative bond that can be forged between health care organizations and the arts.

“Saint Anthony Hospital wants to be a leader in helping different members of our community learn about each other, form relationships and help ensure a happier and healthier community as a result,” says Guy A. Medaglia, president and CEO of Saint Anthony Hospital. “There are many commonalities within the Latino and African communities, and this exhibit helps us explore, and then value, those shared elements.”

Carlos Tortolero, founder and president of the National Museum of Mexican Art, says, “We are happy to find active community partners, like Saint Anthony Hospital, to create grass-roots programs that deliver effective and affordable services to our neighbors. “We are proud that Saint Anthony Hospital and its excellent staff is a longtime partner in bringing community health services and education to Pilsen and Little Village.”

Saint Anthony Hospital is a 110-year old faith-based community hospital serving a largely underserved population. Its vision is “to strengthen our community through the power of partnership and quality healthcare that leaves no one behind,” an objective communicated in a variety of creative ways, such as this teen forum. The event included about 30 students from North Lawndale College Prep High School and Community Links High School.

For example, the combination of African, Spanish and indigenous people into interracial families dates back to the 16th Century. Jumping forward to Chicago in the 21st Century, Latinos and African Americans, unfortunately, also share similar challenges—including above average high school dropout rates and high levels of diabetes and HIV/AIDS.

The exhibit introduced the students to little-known facts about the role of Africans in Mexico, especially during the colonial period (1521-1810). Just less than two percent of the Mexican population was made up of Africans, and they worked as domestic servants, day laborers, artisans, cattle ranchers, farm hands and miners on haciendas. Their contributions to the sugar and silver industries helped establish Mexico City and many other Mexican towns and cities.

The teens at the forum were especially interested in the African influence on Mexican cuisine. After viewing the exhibit together, participants gathered for a presentation and a Q and A from two Saint Anthony physicians, Tabitha Watts, M.D., Pediatrics, and Romeen Lavani, M.D, Chair, Pediatrics. The physicians engaged in a lively dialogue with students, covering topics such as the rewards and challenges of a career in health care and how to succeed in college and beyond. Said Dr. Watts, “Don’t let other people define you. Study hard and don’t waste too much time ‘just hanging out.’”

Dr. Lavani told the teens that his greatest professional satisfaction lies in “helping kids get well and then having their parents come in and thank me.”