Northwestern Medicine® Celebrates Dr. King

In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Northwestern Medicine honored the life and legacy of the civil rights leader with various events from January 9 through January 16. The lecture series, service opportunities, and discussions were highlighted with keynote addresses by Benjamin Carson, MD, director of the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins, and Ricardo Estrada, president and CEO of Chicago’s Metropolitan Family Services.

Overcoming Obstacles to Become Renowned Neurosurgeon

As a child, Benjamin Carson remembers hating poverty. He also recalls the moment he learned not to.

“Luckily, I grew up in a time when what parents said mattered.” Although not happy when his mother made him read rather than watch TV, it was in those moments that Carson learned to consider being poor only a temporary state.

Keynote speaker Benjamin Carson, MD, talks with journalist Mary Mitchell onstage as part of Northwestern's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations.

The January 16 presentation with Carson, before a crowd of about 500 people inside Thorne Auditorium on Northwestern’s Chicago campus, was moderated by Chicago Sun Times journalist Mary Mitchell.

Too many people pay attention to the surface, Carson said, recalling a recent National Public Radio interview he did where a journalist asked him why he doesn’t speak more about race.

“Because I am a neurosurgeon, I’m operating on the thing that makes that person who they are. The cover doesn’t make the person, the brain makes the person.”

In 1987, Carson completed the first and only successful separation of craniopagus (Siamese) twins joined at the back of the head, and a decade later he conducted the first completely successful separation of type-2 vertical craniopagus twins. 

Planned by the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and the School of Law DREAM committee, “Separate and Unequal: Color Lines in Education,” was part of the broader University celebrations reflecting on King’s life.

The keynote program included performances by the G3 Youth Gospel and opera singer Martin Woods. Among others, Eric Neilson, MD, dean of the medical school, welcomed those in attendance and pointed out the importance of the celebration.

“We are all students of Martin Luther King,” Neilson said. “A child of any color is not born with prejudice, so we as adults must become better teachers.”

Eric Neilson, MD, dean of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, congratulates finalists of the third annual Martin Luther King Youth Art Contest.

The event continued with the presentation of the fourth annual DREAM Award for commitment to social justice and equality in law or medicine to Project Brotherhood. This year’s award, presented by Brittne Halford, M3, marked the first time it has been given to a group rather than an individual.

The award was accepted by Thomas Mason, MD, instructor of clinical medicine and co-medical director at Project Brotherhood. The clinic offers a community-based outreach and prevention program for African American men living in the Woodlawn and other surrounding south side communities of Chicago.

Service, Care, Selflessness Guide CEO

For a life that ended much too soon, the thought-provoking prose of King boasts one of the most expansive inventories of famous quotes — lifted from landmark speeches and fiery sermons over the course of the 44 years that have succeeded his passing. One such quote: “Life’s most urgent and persistent question: what are you doing for others?” was the centerpiece at Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s 33rd Annual Commemorative Humanitarian Awards Honoring the Life of Dr. King.

Ricardo Estrada, president and ceo of metropolitan family services, gave the keynote address at northwestern memorial's mlk day celebrations.

The program on January 13 featured keynote speaker Ricardo Estrada, president and CEO of Chicago’s Metropolitan Family Services. Metropolitan provides a broad range of outreach services for families in need, including programs that help pregnant teens and new mothers to those that assist people recovering from mental illnesses or abuse.

“My life has turned out to be what it is because it was shaped by people who cared about service to humanity more than they cared about personal ambition,” said Estrada to audiences totaling about 400 attendees between two programs. “I am who I am because I learned from ministers, missionaries, coaches, youth workers, teachers, doctors, parents, friends, and colleagues who cared more about others than themselves. To be clear, there is really nothing special about me other than I have been blessed with opportunities to serve that most people never receive.”

Estrada shared highlights of his personal journeys on humanitarian excursions. He also shared the account of the tragic loss of a close friend who especially enjoyed Dr. King’s “Drum Major Instinct” sermon. Like Dr. King, Estrada recalls his friend as embodying what it was to be selfless and to serve others.

Estrada’s comments anchored the hospital’s annual program celebrating the volunteer and community service efforts of employees who are nominated by their peers and chosen as award recipients by committee vote. Every year, the program features performances by the Bernice E. Lavin Children's Care Center Choir and the Regina Puckett-Kent Gospel Choir of Northwestern Memorial Hospital. This year’s recipients included Margaret Konieczny, RN, BSN, CMSRN, a staff nurse; Jamila McClinton, senior associate in business development and planning; and Cora Palmer, RN-BC, BSN, CMSRN, also a staff nurse. The women were honored and recognized for their volunteer accomplishments.