Kenniebrew events to promote progress, equity in health care access
Each winter SIU School of Medicine hosts events honoring the first Black physician in the United States to build and operate a private surgical hospital. The son of a formerly enslaved person, Alonzo Kenniebrew, MD, was educated at Tuskegee University and was a friend, colleague and personal physician to Booker T. Washington.
“Dr. Kenniebrew was a trailblazer and humanitarian, and we are continuing his legacy to provide exceptional health care to all patients,” said Wendi El-Amin, MD, associate dean at SIU School of Medicine. “Together with our partners and colleagues, we strive to provide guidance and support to improve our community’s health.”
The annual Alonzo Homer Kenniebrew, MD Lecture discusses health disparities and factors affecting population health. Kelly Hurst, EdD (pictured), will deliver the 2026 lecture at 5:30 p.m., Feb. 12, at Memorial Learning Center. Her keynote, entitled "The Obligations of Hope," will explore what hope demands of us now – how accountability, imagination and the “unauthorized conversations” transform hope from aspiration into action.
Hurst is an assistant professor of medical humanities and a strategist for SIU School of Medicine. Her work bridges medical education, leadership development and community-engaged systems change. She has facilitated challenging conversations and led education initiatives locally and nationally, most recently serving as managing director of the Massey Commission. The lecture is open to the public; an RSVP is appreciated.
The Fourth Annual Kenniebrew-McNeese Conference is 8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, at the MLC. “Hope in Action” is the theme of this year's event. It will focus on tools for creating positive momentum to advance equity and justice in medical education and in our communities.
The keynote speaker is Lawrence E. Henderson, Jr., PhD, an organizational leadership scholar-practitioner whose research explores how trust, autonomy and belonging shape engagement—especially in high-stakes environments. For more information and conference registration, visit the website by Feb. 8.
The Kenniebrew Forum on Monday, March 2, will bring community members together to have an open and honest conversation about trust, race and health at the Memorial Learning Center. It begins at 9 a.m.
Panelists include Kelly Hurst, EdD (Massey Commission); Meredith Volle, MD; Gwendolyn Walsh (SIU Medicine); Josh Sabo (Heartland Housed); and Whitney Devine and Austin Dambacher (Sangamon County ROSC). Moderators are Kimberly Luz-Mobley (HSHS St. John’s) and Vidhya Prakash, MD (SIU Medicine).
The lecture and forum are open to the public. Area activists, social service providers and residents are invited to attend. To RSVP for the lecture and/or forum, contact siumed-edi@siumed.edu. HSHS St. John’s Hospital, Memorial Health System and the SIU Foundation are underwriting the cost of the annual events
