BMC Health System Finds a Pivotal, Unique Forum on Martha’s Vineyard

Every August, Martha’s Vineyard transforms into a vibrant epicenter of Black culture and community, particularly as crowds gather for the celebrated African American Film Festival. For the fifth year in a row, Boston Medical Center (BMC) Health System has chosen this moment and place for an annual summit—an intimate gathering designed not just to spotlight pressing health issues, but to foster genuine connections that last long after the summer crowds depart. 

The reasoning behind hosting these events during the film festival week is both strategic and heartfelt. 

 “The people gathered here are leaders, influencers, and innovators, and many come from the very communities we serve—or communities very much like them, all over the country,” says Petrina Martin Cherry, Vice President of Community Engagement and External Affairs at BMC Health System about the African American Film Festival’s annual event on Martha’s Vineyard. “The festival’s unique convening power makes it possible for us to reach beyond Boston, sharing our health equity breakthroughs with an audience that can help turn ideas into action on a national scale.” 

The importance of Union Chapel as a venue 

BMC Health System is, notably, the only health system with a regular platform during this influential week. Their annual summit events—panels, luncheons, and candid forums—take place at sites like the historic Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs, a location whose very walls are steeped in a legacy of unity and inclusion. Constructed in 1871, Union Chapel stands as an enduring symbol of the Vineyard’s role in nurturing open dialogue and welcoming all people, regardless of faith or background. 

It was founded to counter the exclusivity of the era’s Methodist camp meetings, instead promoting a spirit of openness that has made it both a local landmark and a national treasure. Over the years, Union Chapel has hosted everything from Sunday services and public meetings to graduations and major social gatherings, earning its place on the National Register of Historic Places and in the hearts of islanders. 

Civil rights leaders and artists including Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Dorothy West, and attorney Vernon Jordan, among many others, have spent time on Martha’s Vineyard and spoken and gathered at Union Chapel. 

For BMC Health System, Union Chapel is an intentional choice. 

“There’s a sense of history and meaning here,” notes Martin-Cherry. “It reminds us that progress happens when everyone has a seat at the table—or a pew in this case. The setting lifts our message about health equity and community, making every conversation more resonant.” 

Candid conversations with national relevance 

Each year, the summit draws a cross-section of policymakers, corporate leaders, grassroots organizers, and philanthropists. Together, they dive into the kinds of conversations that are too often omitted from mainstream medical conferences. 

“Our hope is that what happens here isn’t just transformative for our organization, but inspires broad, thoughtful action to close gaps and build healthier communities everywhere.”

PETRINA MARTIN CHERRY, VP OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, BMC HEALTH SYSTEM

This year, a luncheon conversation focuses on women’s health, bringing together Black women from different generations for frank discussions about topics such as menopause, mental health, and the unspoken pressures of caregiving. It will feature leaders such as Emmy-winning Tabitha Brown, Dr. Sharon Malone, CEO of AARP Myechia Minter-Jordan, and BMC Health System’s own Dr. Christine Crawford. 

According to Martin-Cherry, “These are the real-life stories and wisdom that people want to talk about. Our goal is to create a space where women feel heard, seen, and connected.” 

Another centerpiece of this year’s event is a panel called “Own Your Future: Empowering Health, Wealth, and Community.” This discussion weaves together threads of financial security, healthy aging, and the essential role of community bonds. As people in the U.S. are living longer—and as the over-65 population continues to grow—these themes are timely. The hope is not just to spark new thinking, but to encourage attendees to carry strategies and inspiration back to their own neighborhoods. 

The panel features all CEOs who are making impact who share their professional and personal journeys in building a legacy, including BMC Health System’s Alastair Bell, AARP’s Myechia Minter-Jordan, WellWithAll’s Demond Brown, and M&T Bank’s Rene Jones.  

Building partnerships that can effect change 

The results of this strategic convening are tangible. BMC Health System’s approach is as much about sustained outcomes as it is about compelling conversation. 

“Every year, including this year, our luncheon conversation has sold out. It’s become a destination event,” Martin-Cherry shares. The summit’s success has also translated into increased sponsorships and lasting partnerships, including this year’s new collaboration with AARP. “These aren’t just one-off meetings—they lead to invitations to speak nationally and opportunities to grow our impact.” 

There’s another dimension to the presence at Martha’s Vineyard, too. By meeting philanthropists, executives, and activists where they are, BMC Health System is forging connections that are vital for advancing its mission. Many attendees have roots in Boston’s neighborhoods or in similar communities across the country. This connection, Martin-Cherry points out, helps foster a deeper understanding—and a willingness to support initiatives in sickle cell research, men’s mental health, workforce training, women’s wellness, and much more. 

Each August is a testament not only to Boston’s leadership in equity and access, but to the momentum that’s unleashed when the right people and the right conversations come together in a place built on inclusion. 

“These conversations matter because they lift up the reality of systemic health inequities and challenge all of us—locally and nationally—to do better,” Martin-Cherry says. “Our hope is that what happens here isn’t just transformative for our organization, but inspires broad, thoughtful action to close gaps and build healthier communities everywhere.”

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Register for the 2025 “Legacy & Longevity” event on Martha’s Vineyard on the official website.