We had our annual Black History Month brunch last weekend where we celebrated the 7th recipient of the Sandra Barker Dunbar-Smalley Leadership Scholarship as well as the recipient of the new Nardia Aldridge Award. This year’s Sandra Barker Dunbar-Smalley Leadership Scholarship was presented to Mikayla Dunn, a second-year OTD student at Nova Southeastern University. Mikayla was the former president of the Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA) and is known for her continued engagement in community outreach both within and outside of her program. We are proud to celebrate her - congratulations Mikayla! We see you and we are cheering you on! 

In addition, our board members wanted to do something special for a member who pours her heart and soul into SFBOTC. Nazarah, who previously served as Student Liaison and was newly elected as Vice President, was recognized for her tremendous contribution to the profession and our organization. She became the first recipient of the prestigious Nadia Aldridge Award. Nazarah acts as a great leader and mentor to others in the field. Dr. Nardia Aldridge believes that we should show recognition and appreciation for those who always contribute and Ms. Williams received her flowers. The Nardia Aldridge Award will now become a new tradition at our Black History Month Brunch to continue recognizing future OT/OTA practitioner leaders in our caucus. 

We also celebrated a special milestone — The SFBOTC turned 10 years old! Kudos to us! This organization continues to serve as an avenue for mentorship, fieldwork conversations, work-life balance conversations, and a community where OT students and practitioners can belong. We could not have reached this milestone without the dedication of our members and the support of everyone involved. A huge thank you to all who attended and contributed to making this celebration unforgettable. With a big attendance of our recipient's loved ones, many of our members, positive vibes, great meals, and gelato … this was a brunch to remember. We hope you can celebrate with us next year!

Kyrah Maduro OTD/S

February 27th 2025