34 THE QUEENS COURIER • BLACK HISTORY MONTH • FEBRUARY 25, 2021 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
black history month
Lesleigh Irish-Underwood becomes fi rst chief brand
and external relations offi cer for MetroPlusHealth
BY DEAN MOSES
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Lesleigh Irish-Underwood is looking to
take MetroPlusHealth to an even higher
level as its new chief brand and external
relations offi cer.
MetroPlusHealth is a leading health
coverage provider who prides themselves
on off ering aff ordable yet high-quality
protection for New Yorkers. Th is fi vestar
Movies to watch during Black History Month
BY QNS STAFF
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
As we celebrate Black history
this month, one way to honor
and learn is through a family
movie night.
Movies can serve as lessons of
past and present struggles, while
others add diversity into our children’s
lives. While some of these
movies are clearly for older kids —
meaning you’re showing your children
the diffi cult parts of life — all
these fi lms lead to conversations
that can help educate our kids.
So whether it is a fi lm on the
civil rights movement or one
about an inventor who brings
kids joy, all these movies are
worth celebrating.
Here are seven movies to watch
during Black History Month and
beyond.
Soul
A family movie for all ages.
“Soul” tells the story of Joe
Gardner (Jaime Foxx), a middle
school band teacher who has
been waiting to play jazz with the
best players out there and fi nally
gets his chance. Unfortunately,
Joe fi nds himself at the wrong
place at the wrong time and ends
up at Th e Great Before, where
new souls are sent to get a new
personality. Th is sends Joe and
his new friend Soul 22 on a journey
where both end up realizing
that life has a lot more to off er
than they thought, and maybe he
actually was at the right place all
along. Rated PG, Disney+
Jingle Jangle: A
Christmas Journey
If you’re like us and love to
watch Christmas movies
throughout the year, your family
will adore “Jingle Jangle: A
Christmas Journey.” While so
many holiday movies are frankly
not very diverse, this musical fi lm
is pure fun to watch. Th e story is
set in Cobbleton, wherefamous
toymaker and inventor Jeronicus
Jangle makes his fanciful toys.
When his apprentice steals his
latest and most fabulous invention,
it is a betrayal that changes
Jangle’s life forever until his equally
bright granddaughter comes to
the rescue. Rated PG, Netfl ix
Hidden Figures
A must-see movie for your
space-obsessed older kids. Based
on the true story about the smart,
strong Black women mathematicians
known as “computers” who
worked at NASA in the space
program’s early years. Th e movie
shows that segregation existed
for these women even while at
work and how they overcame
obstacles and were game-changers
in the “Space Race.” Starring
Janelle Monáe, Taraji P. Henson
and Octavia Spencer. Rated PG.
Selma
Selma is a movie that focuses
on three months of what
has been called a “tumultuous”
time. Th e fi lm shares the story
of Montgomery marches for voting
rights in 1965. Although not
a history lesson on civil rights,
this movie tells the story of a
pivotal time in the fi ght for civil
rights. It feels, unfortunately, relative
to the struggles that Black
Lives Matter protests today. Most
importantly, it shares a time
of the life of the great Martin
Luther King Jr. Th e movie is PG
13 and features violence.
BlacKkKlansman
Starring John David
Washington as Ron Stallworth,
the fi rst Black detective to serve
with the Colorado Springs Police
Department, Stallworth goes
undercover and infi ltrates the
Ku Klux Klan. Working with his
partner, Flip Zimmerman (Adam
Driver), the two detectives manage
to “join” the local Ku Klux
chapter. While the movie is not
easy to watch, director Spike
Lee directs a fi lm that not only
shares the story of Stallworth but
shows how horrible racism is.
Th is movie is recommended to
be watched by 15+ (parents say
14+, kids 13 +) and older by
Common Sense Media.
The Butler
Directed by Lee Daniels, this
movie is loosely based on a
longtime White House employee
Eugene Allen. Th e fi lm stars
Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey
and David Oyelowo, to name
just a few of this stellar cast. Th e
fi ctional Cecil Gaines shares the
story of what life was like having
a front-row seat for three
decades working in the White
House, mostly the Oval Offi ce,
and how his loyalty to his job
caused friction at home with his
wife and son. Rated PG-13.
rated company has been in operation
since 1985, but despite its longstanding
history, those at the organization
are also looking to the future with
the appointment of Irish-Underwood in
this key role.
Growing up in Brooklyn from a modest
family background to becoming the
fi rst Chief Brand and External Relations
Offi cer, Irish-Underwood is hoping to
serve as a bridge between the public and
MetroPlusHealth. Describing herself as
the “brand czar,” she will be making certain
to inform communities of the work
the company is doing. But perhaps most
importantly of all, she says she yearns to
help tell the stories of New Yorkers, making
certain they are served in the correct
way.
“Business moves at the speed of relationships.
Whether it is working with people
in the communities we serve or my own
colleagues on a Zoom call later today, it’s
about building those strong relationships,”
she said. “Part of my strength is that I am
a native New Yorker. I went to those same
high schools, I walked those same streets,
my mom taught in those same neighborhoods,
my dad grew up in
those same areas—my family
is mostly still here.
You may see this
fancy suit now but
there were jeans
and Pro-Keds 20
years ago.”
As a woman
of color born and
raised in Brooklyn,
it is her priority to
help ensure the underserved
is served. As
MetroPlusHealth takes a
strong leadership role in
the health insurance space
part of this process is
to ensure everybody
has
access to the
plans available.
I r i s h -
Underwood
believes that
the New York City healthcare system is
unrivaled and that MetroPlusHealth is
not only at the forefront, but also the top
choice in her mind when it comes providing
policies to those who need coverage
thanks to their partnership with New
York City health and hospitals.
Irish-Underwood underscored
that this is such a unique position
to hold but, unfortunately,
not everybody is informed of
the choices aff orded to New
Yorkers.
“We have 11 public health
hospitals, the closest market is
L.A, which only has two,” Irish-
Underwood said.
But she herself admits that
she was initially unaware of the
distinctive opportunities the
health system and the insurance
company can provide for
communities who are struggling.
She affi rms that more
people — including
those in leadership
— need
to know the
position the
city has to
care for
those in
need.
“Th ere is a real leadership role of
addressing the inequities of health as it
relates to Black and Brown communities
across New York City. Th ere is a leadership
place I think Metro in partnership
with New York City health and hospitals
should be taking,” Irish-Underwood said.
She shared that she has noticed
over the years the many disparities
and underlying conditions Black and
Brown, and low-income communities
face. These conditions have been exacerbated
by the COVID-19 pandemic,
and Irish-Underwood hopes to be
a catalyst for change in her new positions,
bringing awareness and support
to those in need.
Irish-Underwood is looking forward
to both serving the community she came
from and the health care providers to create
a union through which countless New
Yorkers can receive quality healthcare.
Prior to becoming Chief Brand and
External Relations Officer, Irish-
Underwood worked for 25 years with
Knopf Publishing Group of Random
House, Pearson, and Kensington
Publishing; most recently, she was part
of the United Way. She graduated from
Stony Brook University and she was
named one of Network Journal’s 25 Most
Infl uential Black Women in Business in
2018.
Photo courtesy of MetroPlusHealth
New Chief Brand and External Relations offi cer Lesleigh Irish
Underwood.
Photo via Getty Images
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