Black Nurses Association of Greater Cincinnati

10/02/2026

The BNAGC annual Scholarship Fundraising Gala is fast approaching! There are still a few tickets available. If you have questions send us a DM or email us at [email protected]. Tickets can be purchased through our website www.bnagc.org

09/24/2026

09/20/2026

The Black Nurses Association of Greater Cincinnati (BNAGC) proudly hosts several signature events throughout the year that support our mission of advancing health equity, professional development, and educational opportunities within our community. Our largest and most impactful event is our annual Scholarship Fundraiser, which will take place on Saturday, October 10, 2026.

This premier event brings together healthcare professionals, community leaders, students, and supporters for an evening dedicated to celebrating excellence in nursing while raising funds to provide scholarships for aspiring nurses. Through the generosity of our sponsors and attendees, we are able to invest in the next generation of nursing leaders and strengthen the future of our profession.

We are honored to welcome Rev. Steven Wheeler, MSN, RN as our keynote speaker. His inspiring message will highlight the importance of leadership, service, and the transformative impact nurses have on the communities they serve.

Guiding the evening's program will be our distinguished emcee, P. Ann Everson-Price, whose passion for community engagement and excellence will make this year's event both memorable and meaningful.

We invite our community partners and sponsors to join us in making this event a success. Your support directly contributes to scholarship opportunities for future nurses and helps BNAGC continue its work of promoting health, education, and equity throughout Greater Cincinnati.

Tickets can be purchased through the website www.bnagc.org and by the below link.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/annual-scholarship-fundraiser-gala-2

09/18/2026

✨PANELIST SPOTLIGHT | DR. KAREN D. BANKSTON✨

We’re honored to welcome Dr. Karen Jones Bankston, PhD, MSN, FACHE, FAAN to the conversation at Before Care Had a System.

Dr. Bankston is a Professor Emerita at the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing, a longtime healthcare leader, and a respected voice in health equity, community engagement and the systems that shape how people experience care.

Her decades of leadership have taken her from nursing and hospital administration to higher education and community advocacy. She was also named a 2026 Great Living Cincinnatian through the Cincinnati Regional Chamber, recognizing her lasting impact on the Cincinnati community.

Her perspective is especially meaningful for this program. As we look back at the breast cancer advocacy of Mattie Bell Kinney and the systems women were navigating more than 50 years ago, we’ll also be asking what that history can teach us about access, trust, representation and how healthcare institutions can better serve communities today.

Join Dr. Bankston and our full conversation panel on Saturday, October 24th from 11 AM–1 PM at the UC Health Sciences Building.

Free and open to the public.

🎟️ Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/before-care-had-a-system-tickets-1990373624089

Presented by the Mattie Legacy Project in partnership with University of Cincinnati Cancer Center and sponsorship from the Women's Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation.

09/18/2026

💙✨ BNAGC MEMBER SPOTLIGHT ✨💙

Dr. Erica Scarborough, DNP, RN

VICE PRESIDENT

Okay, so Erica has been a nurse for almost 20 years and somehow decided nursing alone wasn’t enough. 😂 Her journey has taken her from LPN ➡️ RN ➡️ BSN ➡️ MSN ➡️ DNP, and today she works in healthcare quality and leadership, mentors nurses, advocates for the profession, serves as BNAGC Vice President AND ANA-Ohio Director at Large… because apparently she enjoys having absolutely no free time. 🤦🏾‍♀️😂

Erica LOVES to laugh, tell jokes, cut up with her people, and if the right song comes on… the conversation is OVER. She’s dancing. 💃🏾😂 She loves the gym, loves mentoring and encouraging people, and is currently writing a book because clearly there was one tiny empty space left on her calendar. 📖🤣

And then there’s Gran’s Whisk. 🎂 Yes, Erica is The Poundcake Lady. She bakes them. She sells them. She ships them.

She does NOT eat them. 😂😂😂
Please direct all questions to management.

At the center of all the craziness is her faith and family. ❤️🙏🏾 She’s a wife, mom, woman of faith, and somebody who genuinely loves seeing other people WIN.

She can talk nursing policy, healthcare quality, leadership and advocacy… then turn around, tell you a joke, hit a two-step, check on a cake order, head to the gym, and start talking about another idea she probably does NOT have time for. 😂

But that’s Erica.

💙 Big faith. Big laugh. Big ideas. Big heart. And apparently… a very BIG calendar. 😂

Same Erica. Bigger assignment. 💙✨

09/16/2026

💙✨ BNAGC MEMBER SPOTLIGHT ✨💙

Dr. Marrē Barnette, DNP, MSN, BSN, RN

Nurse Leader • Educator • Mentor • Entrepreneur

🩺 Leading & Lifting as She Climbs
From the bedside to educating future nurses and leading healthcare teams across multiple states, Marrē’s career has always centered on people, purpose, and service. Representation matters to her, and she believes in opening doors, mentoring others, and making sure the next generation knows there is room for them at the table.

And if there isn’t?
Sometimes you build your OWN table. 👏🏾💙

BUT WAIT… THERE’S MORE TO MARRĒ! 😂

🏡 Realtor & Entrepreneur
🪴 Certified Plant Lover — because apparently there’s always room for ONE more! 😂
🔨 DIY Queen — give her a project and she’s IN!
✈️ Loves to Travel
🏈 Bengals Girl! 🧡🖤
💡 And probably already thinking about her next idea before she finishes the current one. 😂

💙 WHAT MATTERS MOST?

For all she has accomplished, Marrē is most proud of the people she has encouraged, taught, mentored, and helped move forward.

“Success isn’t simply about how far you go—it’s about how many people you help move forward with you.”

Leadership. Mentorship. Plants. Projects. Real Estate. Bengals. Repeat. 😂🪴🏡🏈💙

09/13/2026

Congratulations to Southern Missionary Baptist Church on a successful Health Fair!

BNAGC was thrilled to participate and provide blood pressure screenings as we continue our commitment to health, wellness, and service in our community.

At BNAGC, we believe when we serve our community, we thrive! There is nothing like showing up, making an impact, and pouring back into the communities that we call home.

Thank you, Southern Missionary Baptist Church, for allowing us to be a part of such a meaningful event.

Happy Sunday from BNAGC!

09/10/2026

💙✨ BNAGC MEMBER SPOTLIGHT ✨💙

Margaret “Diane” Cunningham

EVENTS CHAIR 🎉

37 YEARS OF NURSING… and she’s got STORIES! 😂🩺

From Drake Hospital ➡️ a quick stop in dialysis (“not my cup of tea” 😁) ➡️ agency nursing ➡️ community clinics ➡️ private pediatric offices ➡️ and finally school nursing!

After spending most of her career caring for children, Diane wrapped up her 37-year nursing career as a school nurse, retiring in May 2024.

And according to Diane, those school kids were…

“The GOOD, the BAD & the UGLY!” 🤦🏽‍♀️😂😂
…but she loved them so much she wishes she had discovered school nursing earlier!

💛 A HEART FOR PEOPLE

Whether it’s making sure an elder feels loved and comfortable, helping a family find resources, or recognizing the needs of children experiencing homelessness, helping people has always been at the heart of Diane’s nursing.

🎶 BUT WHO IS DIANE OFF THE CLOCK?

🎷 Jazz lover
🦸🏽‍♀️ Marvel superhero fan 😜
❤️ Loves time with her hubby, kids & grandkids
🙏🏽 Serves on her church’s Missionary Board
👯‍♀️ Loves fellowshipping with friends
🎉 And of course… she’s our EVENTS CHAIR, so you already KNOW she likes bringing people together!

Diane was introduced to BNAGC by Peggy, joined in 2023, and has been part of the family ever since. 💙

37 years of nursing. A lifetime of serving. And still bringing the FUN! 😂💙🎉

09/08/2026

💙✨ BNAGC MEMBER SPOTLIGHT! ✨💙

This week we’re shining the spotlight on our fabulous SECRETARY, Latonya Key! 📝💙

Now listen… Latonya knows how to keep BNAGC organized, connected, and on track—but when she’s off the clock, she is ALL about enjoying life! 😂🙌🏾

You can catch her taking scenic rides with her husband 🚗🌅, making memories with her grandbabies 🥰, enjoying some good food, good company, and just soaking up the beautiful moments in life.

Latonya brings that same warm spirit to BNAGC—dependable, caring, always willing to help, and keeping the rest of us together! 😂💙

Help us show some love to our SECRETARY, Latonya Key! 👏🏾✨

We appreciate you, Latonya! 💙💛

09/08/2026

💙💗 BNAGC is more than a professional organization—we SHOW UP and SHOW OUT for our members! 🙌🏾

We are so proud of our very own Secretary, Latonya Key, MSN, RN who recently launched a primary care practice alongside her business partner and fellow nurse, Valerie Adkins, APRN, RN! 👏🏾🩺

We LOVE seeing nurses step into entrepreneurship, leadership, and purpose. When our nurses thrive, our communities thrive!

This new practice is sure to be an incredible asset to the community, providing accessible, compassionate, patient-centered care.

BNAGC is in the business of building nurses, celebrating nurses, and cheering our nurses ALL THE WAY ON! 🎉💙💗

Congratulations, Latonya and Valerie! We see you, we celebrate you, and we’re cheering you on! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Our premier fundraising event of the year is October 10, 2026. Tickets can be purchased through the website www.bnagc.org. Donations and ticket purchases enables BNAGC to continue supporting our community. Please consider attending or making a donation.