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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee (DEI)

The Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee’s mission is to work consistently to create an inclusive and equitable environment for ASNY members. We invite all members to engage and grow the voice of all acupuncturists within ASNY and across the medical community.

Goals:

  • Work to Increase diversity within the ASNY membership at all levels.
  • Highlight diversity and inclusion efforts being done within the acupuncture community.
  • Aid our members in the recognition of intrinsic bias through lectures, continuing education units, and newsletters.
  • Seek out resources for members to support them in their role in working with and caring for diverse groups.
  • Providing a consistent contact point for members who have questions about cultural congruence, cultural competency, and intrinsic bias when working with or caring for diverse groups of people.
  • Provide educational resources for member acupuncturists on topics related to melanated skin.
  • Provide educational resources for member acupuncturists on topics related to LBGTQIA community.
  • Working with ASNY toward a more equitable and inclusive environment for all members rippling into our communities.

Chair:

Dr. Theresa Dember Neal DACM, RN holds a Doctorate of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (DACM) from Pacific College of Health and Science, a Masters degree in Oriental Medicine from New York College of Health Professions, and a Bachelors in Nursing from Farmingdale State College. She is dedicated to help patients achieve optimal wellness at any stage of life. She specializes in pain, menstrual disorders, facial rejuvenation and scar treatment. Dr. Dember-Neal has also provided lectures and demonstrations of Reiki and Auricular acupressure at a local college for nursing and medical anthropology courses since 2012. She believes strongly in communities working together to make things better. While working at Farmingdale State College (FSC) Theresa served on many committees. She was Chair of the Human Simulation for 4 years bringing student nurses and CNA students together in collaborative care situations prior to working with real patients to reinforce concepts taught, foster role transparency, and improve delegation skills. She also coordinated the student participation in the Queens Hospital Center full scale disaster preparedness exercises. Her work as a member of the multicultural committee helped to bring diverse cultural experiences to students who would otherwise never experience cultures different from their own. This committee work also brought Erase Racism training to college administrators, faculty, staff, and students alike.  The training helped learners to recognize their own intrinsic bias and showed them how to stop this bias from unfairly discriminating against others. Theresa also was an Executive Board member of the FSC chapter of UUP, Co-Chair of the Professional Issues committee, member of the College Safety committee, and was an active delegate for the union. She is a professional member of ASNY and Chair of the newly formed ASNY Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. She enjoys learning, science, kayaking, and nature.

Co-Chair:

Zakiya Cush Zakiya Cush is a student board member of ASNY.  She is a future holistic dermatologist, who is happy to pursue her studies in Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine at the Pacific College of Health & Sciences. She looks forward to giving back to the community and going into private practice upon graduation.  Zakiya has an extensive biomedical dermatology background, and aims to combine both eastern and western medicine in her holistic dermatology practice. She is passionate about public health disparities, especially in medicine and in the field of dermatology. And her study on “The Upper East Side vs Central Harlem: What is responsible for the Dermatology Disparities that shaped these Communities?” was recently published by her school New York Medical College, where she is also obtaining her MPH degree.  Zakiya plays an active role with the ASNY PR Committee and Social Media Team. She is ASNY’s first Student Board Representative. In her free time she enjoys a daily yoga practice, which has helped with strengthening her immune system and providing a general sense of wellness, which is much needed in the time of COVID-19.

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