Clara Maass Medical Center held its annual Pride Celebration on Thursday, June 2, on the rooftop deck of the parking garage where staff and guests gathered to listen to music, receive t-shirts and rainbow-colored giveaways – including small flags, face masks and cookies. The celebration also included CMMC’s annual Pride flag raising ceremony, in which a large rainbow flag was raised to fly just beneath the American flag and above the hospital.
Local dignitaries in attendance at CMMC’s Pride event included Belleville Mayor Michael Melham; Belleville Councilman Vincent Cozzarelli; Montclair Council President Peter Yacobellis; and Reginald Bledsoe, newly appointed Director of the Essex County Office of LGBTQ Affairs. The office was created in May 2022, to provide Essex County residents with a platform to address issues, advocate for reform and raise awareness.
Marquetta Alexander, Ed.D, CMMC’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion, organized the event along with CMMC’s PROUD BRG. In opening remarks, Frank Mazzarella, MD, Chief Continuum of Care and Clinical Services Officer at Clara Maass Medical Center, and an Executive Sponsor of the PROUD BRG, told the crowd, “My hat’s off to everyone who is brave enough to be who they are in this world.”
Allison Hogan, Family Support Specialist for the Psychiatric Emergency Screening Service at Clara Maass Medical Center, and Chairperson of CMMC’s PROUD BRG, told the crowd, “I love that I work here. Clara Maass is Pride Friendly 365.”
Attendees at Clara Maass Medical Center’s 2022 Pride event gathered on the rooftop deck of the parking garage.
Pictured left, the Pride flag was raised to fly over Clara Maass Medical Center. Pictured right, Reginald Bledsoe, Director of the Essex County Office of LGBTQ Affairs.
From left: Belleville Councilman Vincent Cozzarelli; Celeste Oranchak, Vice President, Foundation and Development, Clara Maass Medical Center (CMMC); Frank Dos Santos, DO, Chief Medical Officer, CMMC; Frank Mazzarella, MD, Chief Continuum of Care and Medical Services Officer, CMMC; Reginald Bledsoe, Director of the Essex County Office of LGBTQ Affairs; Mary Ellen Clyne, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer, CMMC; Belleville Mayor Michael Melham; Teresa DiElmo, RN, MSN, Chief Nursing Officer, CMMC; and Allison Hogan, Family Support Specialist, Psychiatric Emergency Screening Service, CMMC.
From left, Michael Melham; Mary Ellen Clyne, PhD; Reginald Bledsoe; Peter Yacobellis, Montclair Council President, and President of Out Montclair; and Allison Hogan led the countdown to the flag raising ceremony.
