Community leader reflects on Black History Month and having a front-row seat to history

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Last updated: March 26, 2025 |
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Authored by:
  • April Starinsky
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Community
Andrew's Story - Celebrating Black History Month

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"One of the things I love to do with my AdventHealth colleagues is to imagine the world as it could be and put together a plan to make it so."

Executive Director of Community Advocacy Andrew Mwavua leads AdventHealth's work to extend the healing ministry of Christ outside the hospitals' walls.

Andrew had a front-row seat to history as he worked on then-Senator Barak Obama’s presidential campaign, and then served in the first Obama administration.

He was asked to work for the Obama campaign after a chance meeting with a former staffer at an after-church potluck. At first, he thought the call recruiting him was a prank. Once he spoke with the campaign and realized it was a serious offer, he joined as a community organizer. After President Obama was elected, Andrew worked as a senior analyst in the U.S. Department of Energy.

Andrew says, “One of the things I learned from that time that I use today is that a plan or strategy is a guide. Your resourcefulness and creativity are that x-factor, that secret ingredient that takes it from a plan or concept to success.”

He continues, “The other thing is to start with the end goal in mind. How hard it will be to get there doesn't matter as much as the ‘why do we want to get there?’ If you're very clear about that it will help you get there.”

Andrew says Black history month is a time for us all to learn about American history and achievements not usually focused on. "We connect on a real level and tell the truth from a point of love. It is also a month that reminds us of the greats who have done the hard work of helping to create a more perfect union in these United States.”

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