Bridge the Gap: Erie VA Presents Black History Month Celebration

Contributed

Maurice Clarke, Minority Veterans Program coordinator and licensed professional mental health counselor, has been busy coordinating a slate of public events for Black History Month at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center celebrating and honoring the contributions of Black service members.

There is no mistaking the Erie Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) with its prominent location on the hill or mistaking that the region is fortunate to have it. But lesser known may be its breadth and depth of services, such as those offered by Maurice Clarke (40 Under 40 Class of 2025), Minority Veterans Program coordinator and licensed professional mental health counselor.

On the day of my interview with Clarke, temperatures outside were in the negatives but it's as though his positivity, passion, and warmth could be felt through the phone. This is no doubt the welcome attendees of the upcoming Black History Month Celebration will feel on Feb. 27.

Proudly brought to the area by the Minority Veterans Program, this event and others each month center on appreciation, recognition, and community connection. At the heart of it, "is ensuring that minority veterans feel seen, feel valued, and feel connected in the Erie community," said Clarke.

"We want to be sure we have a culturally conscious facility," Clarke explained. He highlighted the ways he and the facility's director and committee are supportive and intentional. He and the team have community engagement as a focus and this year's event will center on the extraordinary contributions of Black service members who shaped the nation's history, opened doors for future generations, and continue to inspire progress.

Designed to create dialogue and celebrate history, wellness and community impact, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. the second floor conference room of the VA will feature powerful storytelling, historical displays, and meaningful reflections that celebrate the past while embracing a future of unity, service, and empowerment.

Free and open to the public, the event will be both informational and inspirational, he said, highlighting resilience while honoring successes.

"We'll recognize where we come from but celebrate where we're going," he added, and emphasized that folks coming to it have a wonderful opportunity to connect. "We want to be sure that culturally responsive care doesn't stop at our clinic doors."

This year's Black History Month observation will focus on community leadership, resilience, and tailored mental health engagement, with featured speakers and partnerships that reflect voices from across the Erie community. Clarke said he knew when he started a few years ago that he wanted to "take these observation events to the next level" and indeed he has with featured speakers such as Marcus Atkinson (media producer, consultant, and social progress advocate), Magisterial District Judge Christine Rush, and Johnny Johnson (local historian, retired Erie School District teacher and coach), and vendors such as Erie's Black Wall Street, the Hagen Historical Society, the Blue Coats, and more. "They are events for education, connection, healing."

Mentioning other past events – such as National Native American Heritage Month or National Hispanic Heritage Month – it's clear the carefully crafted details for these are almost as impressive as Clarke's passion. On deck for Women's History Month Celebration on March 31, are more than a dozen speakers and vendors who will pay tribute to the vision, courage, and trailblazing leadership of women.

This inviting space for service men and women acts like a network of reclamation and hope is something Erie is grateful to have. In times like these, especially, access to care, and care for the community matters. "At the heart of it is that honoring identity strengthens healing, so when a group feels respected the outcomes improve, not just clinically, but emotionally and socially."

For more information on these events, visit: va.gov/erie-health-care/