Minutes of the McCune Smith Cordice Society 9th General Meeting

Minutes of the McCune Smith Cordice Society 9th General Meeting

Date: April 26, 2025

Time: 6:00 PM

Location: Mireille’s Restaurant, Westbury, New York

Attendance

• Total: 47 attendees, including 10 guests.

Meeting Overview

Guests began arriving at 6:00 PM. Drs. Connell, Dupiton, and Michel greeted guests at the door.

Hors d’oeuvres were served at 7:10 PM, and the meeting formally began at 7:20 PM.

Dr. Francine Hippolyte, Secretary, presented a summary of the minutes from the previous general meeting. A motion to approve was made and passed without objections.

Welcome

Dr. Carmen Rodriguez welcomed all members and guests. Five new members/guests introduced themselves to the group.

Society Mission and Goals

Dr. Auguste discussed the vision and goals of the Society, highlighting the five key pillars that guide our work.

Special Discussions

Dr. Auguste spoke about issues of social injustice and how they directly impact us as physicians. To set the tone, a powerful reflection was shared from Pastor Martin Niemöller’s poem “First They Came” (1946), reminding us of the importance of speaking up against injustice. Dr Auguste shared his personal version of the poem. 

Dr. Daniel Laroche shared personal experiences of being targeted after some of his social media posts. Current concerns that speaking out against certain issues may lead to being unfairly labeled, sanctioned, or losing employment/professional privileges 

 A reflection titled “An Ethical Dilemma in 2025” was also shared. 

Membership Committee Report

Dr. Roxanne Connell, Chair of the Membership Committee, gave an update:

• As of January 2025, there were 70 paid members.

• By the January 31, 2025 deadline, only 39 members had renewed (including new and returning members).

• Six more members renewed at the door during this meeting.

Members were encouraged to use the Society’s website to manage their membership, update profiles, and explore the physician directory.

Treasurer’s Report

Dr. Lufulwabo, Treasurer, presented a brief financial update.

Guest Speaker

Dr. Alexandra Haskin delivered a wonderful presentation entitled “Dermatology in the 21st-century, New Concepts, New Possibilities” with a special emphasis on  skin of color. The presentation was from 8:05 PM to 9:00 PM, including a Q&A session.

Dr Haskin was given a plaque of appreciation for her outstanding lecture.

Dinner was served at 9:00 PM.

During dinner, the Mentorship Committee presented their various projects and outreach efforts, detailing their work with several schools over the past three months.

Raffle

Dr. Allen Toles raffled off a Mother’s Day Chocolate Basket, raising $370 for the Society.

Upcoming Events

Dr. Auguste asked members to vote on the next meeting date. It was decided the next meeting will be on August 9, 2025.

Members were also asked to consider whether they would prefer a Saturday or Sunday brunch format.

The anticipated speaker for the next general meeting will be Dr. Mauvareen Beverley, who will discuss the subject of her published book on Solutions to Achieve Health Equity. Details will be finalized soon.

The meeting adjourned at 9:55 PM.