YWCA Greenwich’s Annual Coretta Scott and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Event to Focus on Women’s Health Equity

On Thursday, January 23 at 7:00pm, YWCA Greenwich and more than 60 community partners will host the 2025 Coretta Scott and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Conversation.

This event held each January celebrates the lives and legacy of Dr. King and his wife, Corretta Scott King by exploring an issue they would have cared about were they still with us.

This year’s conversation, titled, “A Vital Conversation: Women’s Health Equity Forum,” will examine chronic disparities related to women’s health equity in our community and in the region.

The expert panelists will discuss how these inequities and barriers impact the lives of people based on gender, race, and other dimensions of identity.

“Women make up the majority of the population but are often treated like second-class citizens when it comes to focus for health issues that impact them,” said event moderator and Director of the Center of Equity and Justice at YWCA Greenwich, Simone Quartey.

“This inequity is even more pronounced for Black women, Women of Color, and LGBTQIA+ women, who often exist on the margins of healthcare,” Quartey continued. “With this event, and through our broader initiative to address health inequities in our community, we aim to bring together physicians, organizations, and community partners to ensure all women receive the care they deserve.”

Panelists: Top: Dr. Mia Kazanjian, Stamford Health Diagnostic Radiologist; Dr. Juliet Mushi, Harlem Hospital Obstetrician-Gynecologist. Bottom: Fatmata Williams, State of Connecticut, Division of Health Services Director of Medical Administration; and Dr. Romelle Maloney, Greenwich Hospital Obstetrician-Gynecologist.

Participating as expert panelists this year are Dr. Mia Kazanjian, Diagnostic Radiologist at Stamford Health; Dr. Romelle Maloney, Obstetrician-Gynecologist at Greenwich Hospital; Dr. Juliet Mushi, Obstetrician-Gynecologist at Harlem Hospital; and Fatmata Williams, Director of Medical Administration for the State of Connecticut’s Division of Health Services.

The panel will offer their expertise and solutions to women’s health equity, exploring maternal health, life expectancy, and healthcare access. In addition to the discussion, the YWCA Greenwich’s Center for Equity and Justice will be conducting a real time data gathering session to gauge community attitudes and experiences with health inequity and how it impacts women of all backgrounds.

YWCA Greenwich President and CEO Mary Lee Kiernan explained the significance of this event, saying, “More than 60 community organizations, schools, churches, and other key partners have provided their support of this large, community commemoration event. We hope you will join us for an important examination of women’s health equity in the Greenwich area, and how we work together to address chronic disparities.”

For more information on The Coretta Scott King & Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Conversation: A Vital Conversation about Women’s Health Equity or to register for this free event, please click here.

About YWCA Greenwich: Founded in 1919, YWCA Greenwich is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. YWCA Greenwich provides programs for people of all ages and genders with initiatives that include preschool and after school programs, aquatics programs, youth athletics, health and fitness programs and seminars focusing on racial justice and women’s empowerment. Additionally, YWCA Greenwich is the only provider of both domestic and sexual violence services in Greenwich, with staff who are licensed to provide crisis intervention, counseling, shelter, and victim advocacy. These services are free.