SVS & SVSF Celebrate Pride Month
The SVS and SVS Foundation join together to celebrate Pride Month. The SVS and SVSF have created the Voices of Vascular Series to aid in the expansion of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives throughout each entity. Visit this webpage throughout the month of June to explore profiles of various SVS members of the LGBTQIA community.
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Pride Member Feature
Lauren N. West-Livingston, MD, a second post-graduate year (PGY-2) integrated vascular surgery resident at Duke University, embodies vascular surgery's diverse and vibrant community. As a dedicated spouse, mother and a proudly bi/pansexual woman, West-Livingston's multifaceted identity enriches her professional and personal life, making her a beacon of representation and advocacy in the medical field.
2023 Voices Profiles
Chris Robb
Chris Robb has always had a background in activism and a passion for LGBTQ+ rights, from his days on the Florida State University campus protesting for an inclusive non-discrimination policy to marching on the nation's Capital for marriage equality. For Chris, Pride Month is a time for celebration and protest.
Imani E. McElroy, MD, MPH
“I would take that part out of your presentation – you’re not as out as you think you are.”
This was advice from a close friend discussing a recent presentation when I talked about my different identities, most specifically, my queer identity. And while she was trying to protect me from potential backlash, the advice stung.
John F. Charitable, MD
As many know, June has become known by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual (LGBTQIA) community and their allies as Pride Month.
This month's history dates back several decades as a way to commemorate the uprising of the LGBTQIA community in the 1960’s against discrimination and injustice, a fight that still continues today.
Eric Pillado, MD
Eric Pillado, MD, has chosen to live his life authentically, refusing to conceal aspects of his identity for professional reasons. While completing his medical degree at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, Pillado chose to reveal his sexual orientation as a precautionary measure, given the potential for a negative reaction.