9th Annual President’ s Breakfast Tackles Immigration Reform as a Moral Imperative
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science( CDU) held its 9th Annual CDU President’ s Breakfast at Colburn School’ s Zipper Hall in downtown Los Angeles on February 29, 2024.
CDU President and CEO, Dr. David M. Carlisle served as the event’ s host and moderator of the panel discussion.
The theme was Immigration Reform: A Moral Imperative.
“ The theme choice reflects our institution’ s dedication to fostering conversations that are not only timely but also timeless in their significance,” said President Carlisle.“ Immigration reform, with its complex web of social, economic, legal, and humanitarian considerations, challenges us to reflect deeply on our values, our responsibilities, and our aspirations as a society.”
Caitlin Dickerson, a Pulitzer Prize and Peabody Award-winning investigative reporter and feature writer for The Atlantic, served as the event’ s keynote speaker.
Nana Gyamfi, Executive Director of Black Alliance for Just Immigration, a Black national organization that fights for the rights of Black migrants and African Americans, testified to the unique challenges faced by Black migrants within the broader immigration system.
Sonja F. M. Diaz, Founding Director, UCLA Latino Policy & Politics Institute, addressed the intersections between immigration reform and voting, pointing out a recent Gallup poll that identified immigration as top issue at 28 % whereas a recent UnidosUS poll indicated that immigration is not one of the top issues amongst Latino registered voters.
Efrain Talamantes, MD, Senior Vice President and COO of Health Services at AltaMed, highlighted the physical and psychological impact of immigration policies.
13 2024 Annual Report | Administration