A lot has happened during the month of July (2022) while CCBN practiced healthy habits and in general took a much-needed summer break from conducting business. 100% of recently graduated CCBN Scholars and CCBN student members passed their NCLEX and are full-fledged RN’s! Of course, just as nurses never really retire, nurses never close up shop completely either, always having at minimum a skeleton crew to keep things running until reinforcements arrive. Many thanks to our CCBN Scholars and the CCBN Scholarship Program for keeping the shop doors open in July and representing CCBN at the Black Arts Festival as well as supporting the future of Nursing by doing all it took to select new CCBN scholarship recipients. July is the busiest month for our Scholars and all their hard work for the year is showcased every October at the Annual CCBN Scholarship Soirée (October 23^rd this year, so save the date). No worries about burnout though, CCBN Scholars go on vacation every November.

There have been a lot of advancements in Nursing over July as well. CCBN continues to make great strides through its Nurse Aviator Program – and a university hopeful – in its contributions toward the goal of seeing the first nurse to leave Earth’s orbit. The CCBN Aerospace Nursing department continues to provide #aChanceToLeap through its 2022 CCBN Space Expo National Launch that starts September 26^th, with pre-launch activities starting August 15^th at the CCBN Space Expo Art Unveiling. Keep up with the National Launch on the new site tab lifting off this first week of August #CCBNSpaceExpo. Of course, there’s the new Colorado state Nursing License Plate that, thanks to CCBN/CNA member Jennifer Allen-Thomas MSN, RN and the Colorado Nurses Foundation, will provide Nursing scholarships to Nursing students and to nurses for professional development. See the post below for more information. Please support nurses with a post or tweet: #ColoradoNursesRock.

Last but not least, CCBN is taking this opportunity to acknowledge the verbal and written public apology by the American Nurses Association (ANA) regarding its treatment of nurses of color throughout Nursing history. It is not a statement taken lightly and the courage to step forward is not ignored. CCBN will put out a public statement after our Annual Meeting scheduled for September 2022 that will be representative of the collective voices of all our members. CCBN has several members who have memberships with the local ANA affiliate, Colorado Nurses Association (CNA), several CCBN members who have memberships with the National Black Nurses Association Inc (NBNA) that is mentioned in the reckoning statement, and several CCBN members who have direct, lived experiences with the racist policies and actions ANA references. Actions speak louder than words and CCBN will be heeding the actions of ANA as the months unfold.

As the CCBN president Robin Bruce FN, BSN, RN often says, “Doctors cure. Nurses heal.” The Colorado Council of Black Nurses Inc (CCBN) continues to move forward, applying what we do best, this time to ourselves, in the overall process of healing as it pertains to the treatment of nurses in general and the recognition of the profession of Nursing. To all who contribute in any way to the betterment of Nursing, CCBN gives a resounding “Thank You” for your support.