Building Bridges with a Song
Our Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Pernessa C. Seele
Pernessa C. Seele is founder and CEO of The Balm In Gilead, Inc., a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO) whose mission is to prevent diseases and to improve the health status of people of the African Diaspora by providing support to faith institutions in areas of program design, implementation and evaluation. These efforts strengthen the capacity of the faith community to deliver programs and services that contribute to the elimination of health disparities. Born on October 15, 1954, in Lincolnville, South Carolina – a small, all-Black, Southern town – Pernessa was raised on the ideals of each one, teach one and the spirit of unity. In 1989 she began working at Harlem Hospital. The number of people there suffering from AIDS- often alone-led her to ask the question: Where is the faith community?
The Balm In Gilead, Inc. was born out of Pernessa’s vision that faith communities had a major role to play in addressing HIV/AIDS nationally as well as globally. Pernessa’s desire to involve the faith community began with The Harlem Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS in 1989. Pernessa went from door to door through the community until she brought together over 50 faith leaders to join her in prayer and education.
Now in its 21st year, The Balm In Gilead has provided capacity development and technical support to over 20,000 faith institutions regarding the implementation of health education and service programs.
As a pioneer in mobilizing and educating faith communities to become engaged in the fight against AIDS, Pernessa is known throughout the African Diaspora for her extraordinary vision and ability to create partnerships among faith leaders of various cultures and religious doctrines. As a result, faith institutions become leaders in health promotion and disease prevention by providing comprehensive educational programs and offering compassionate support to all persons affected by HIV/AIDS.
Pernessa is one of the nation’s most prominent voices on issues of HIV/AIDS and other health disparities and their affect on African people throughout the world, including African Americans. Under Pernessa’s leadership, The Balm In Gilead has supported the establishment of over 12 national health offices within the national headquarters of Catholic, Protestant and Muslim communities in Africa and the United States; furthermore, The Balm In Gilead has engaged nearly 10 million churchgoers throughout the United States in health awareness campaigns through the effective mobilization of the African American church to address public health issues.
Pernessa is the recipient of numerous citations and honors for her success in mobilizing faith communities to address HIV/AIDS and cervical cancer. In January 2006, Pernessa was an invited guest of former President and First Lady Laura Bush for the State of the Union Address as a symbol of the President’s commitment to work with African American churches in the fight against HIV/AIDS. In May 2006, Pernessa was featured on the cover of TIME magazine as one of the Most Influential Persons In The World.
Essence Magazine has honored her with numerous features: in the May 2005, which was also the 35th Anniversary issue, she was named one of the 35 Most Beautiful And Remarkable Women In The World; in the February 2004 issue, she was featured as One of the New Activists in the tradition of African Americans’ greatest heroes” and in October 2003, Essence named Pernessa as one of 50 Women Who Are Shaping the World along with media mogul Oprah Winfrey and 48 other African American women doing vital work that benefits the lives of many. In 2000, she received the Congressional Black Caucus Award and in 2001, The Black AIDS Institute selected her as a Hero in the Struggle.
In April 2008, Clark Atlanta University honored Pernessa with the Pathway of Excellence Award, citing her as one of its most outstanding graduates of all time. American Legacy Magazine presented The Health Leadership Award to Pernessa in 2002.
Pernessa received a both a Bachelor degree and Master of Science from Clark Atlanta University in 1976 & 1979 respectively, and a Doctorate of Humane Letters from The College of New Rochelle, NY in 2007.
The book of Jeremiah asks: Is there no balm in Gilead? Although diseases, including HIV/AIDS, have devastated Black communities worldwide, Pernessa has called attention to an unprecedented opportunity. She believes that African people, along with all people of the world, have a chance to reach across traditional borders to come together, in an interfaith context that intersects spirituality and public health.
Pernessa walks in the footsteps of the spiritual that posed an answer to the question – Yes, she says, there is a Balm in Gilead, and she shows us how to get there.