Experts at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have joined with the nonprofit organization Usher’s New Look to host a virtual event during which youths can talk about their experiences with COVID-19 and ask questions. The online event — Disruptivate: COVID-19 — will be live on Wednesday, March 24, from 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Eastern time.

The event, geared for youth ages 13-24, will include presentations from health professionals involved in the coronavirus emergency response and cultural influencers such as cast members of Netflix’s Family Reunion: Talia Jackson, Isaiah Russell-Bailey, Jordyn Raya James and Cameron J. Wright. Group discussions and Q&As focusing on pandemic issues that most impact youths today will be led by peer educators from Usher’s New Look, Johns Hopkins HEAT (Health Education and Training) Corps volunteers and medical students from Morehouse College.

Register here: eventbrite.com/e/disruptivate-covid-19-tickets-145724452761.

Contact Rachel Butch at [email protected] for more information about the event and to connect with the speakers and youth moderators.

Press welcome to attend.

Speaker bios:

Panagis Galiatsatos, M.D., M.H.S., assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

A pulmonary and critical care medicine physician, Dr. Galiatsatos is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of obstructive lung disease, tobacco cessation and the care of critically ill patients in the medical intensive care unit. He is a member of the Obstructive Lung Disease Group at Johns Hopkins, and he oversees the Tobacco Treatment Clinic and teaches medical students and residents.

Namandje Bumpus, Ph.D., director of the Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Dr. Bumpus is the E.K. Marshall and Thomas H. Maren Professor. Her research seeks to mechanistically define the role of drug metabolism in antiviral drug outcomes. Dr. Bumpus serves on the council of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

Monique Hedmann-Maxey, M.D., M.P.H., resident physician in the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center Department of Family Medicine

Dr. Hedmann-Maxey is a first-year resident physician in the Department of Family Medicine at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. She is a member of the advisory board for Hip Hop Public Health (HHPH) and an Arts and Minds board member. Prior to attending medical school, she was the director of operations for HHPH as well as program manager at Columbia University Medical Center and Harlem Hospital Center. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Emory University, a master’s degree in sociomedical sciences from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and an M.D. from Oregon Health and Science University.

Frank Jones, M.D., M.P.H., clinical professor of surgery at the Georgia campus of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and an adjunct associate professor of surgery at Morehouse School of Medicine

Dr. Jones’ clinical responsibilities include being a surgicalist with the Wellstar Medical Group and a wound care physician for Piedmont Medical System. His clinical interest is in complex hernias and abdominal wall reconstruction.