HEALTHCARE HERO: JOSE PERPIGNAN MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN HIS COMMUNITY

This story appeared originally in the BingUNews. Image credit: Jose Perpignan Jr. and BingUNews.

By Jennifer Micale
October 27, 2020

When the coronavirus first struck his hometown, New York City native Jose Perpignan Jr. ’11 manned the frontlines as a registered nurse.

His duties, however, weren’t limited to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s cardiothoracic intensive care unit, where he works in the ICU float pool during normal times. A co-founder of the Greater New York City Black Nurses Association, the Binghamton University alumnus sought to prevent his own Bronx neighborhood from catching the virus.

In addition to his 12-hour nursing shifts, he picked up seniors’ prescriptions and groceries, and provided personal protective equipment (PPE) and health tips. As the pandemic’s first wave began to abate, he and the association held virtual town halls with healthcare providers in Texas, helping them prepare for future outbreaks.

His dedication and commitment recently led to an unexpected Zoom call from the nationally syndicated television talk show LIVE with Kelly and Ryan. He learned on air that he had won LIVE’s Healthcare Hero 100k Giveaway — erasing $100,000 in student debt.

“I still feel like I was in a dream. It was what I prayed and hoped for, that sort of relief,” he said.

‘Set the tone’

Born and raised in a 39-story building in Brooklyn, Perpignan decided on a career in caring in the first grade, when his father, an emergency medical technician, brought an ambulance to the school’s career day. In high school, his interests shifted somewhat; he loves dogs, and considered becoming a veterinarian.

His teachers encouraged him to aim high, and he was thrilled to be accepted by his dream school: Binghamton University.

“I’m the oldest of 10, so I had to set the tone,” said Perpignan, the first in his family to earn a bachelor’s degree. “This has to be normal.”

After shadowing a few physicians in college, he realized his true calling: to become a nurse, interacting closely with patients and their families. But early on, he faced some setbacks. Unable to get into the Decker College of Nursing, he completed his bachelor of arts degree in Africana Studies instead.

“Everything happens for a reason,” he reflected.

At Binghamton, he was part of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). He found inspiration through dedicated instructors such as Professor Leo Wilton, and gained a deep understanding of Black history in both the United States and around the world.

He had a well-rounded experience outside the classroom, too. Perpignan served as a resident assistant for the Dickinson Community and became an EMT with Harpur’s Ferry. He joined the Kappa Nu chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., which helped him develop confidence and build important lifelong friendships.

After graduation, he spent several years working as a patient care technician before heading to the University of Rochester to complete a bachelor of science in nursing.

Considering Perpignan’s emphasis on physical and mental wellness, EOP Director Karima Legette isn’t surprised that he found his way to nursing. His Binghamton experience as an EMT and resident assistant reflected that same commitment, she said.

Legette first met Perpignan during the first Binghamton Enrichment Program she coordinated in 2007. A “fun and shining light,” he was always smiling, checking in on his peers and prioritizing the program’s social responsibility aspect, she remembered.

“Jose truly embodies the phrase ‘find a way or make one,’ and that innovation and creativity is clearly what allowed him to envision his future as a nurse,” said Legette. “This (Healthcare Hero) prize is a beautiful lining for someone who carries care at his core, whether in practice at the bedside, in the classroom, as an advocate, in research or in service. His example is one that we share with our students all of the time.”

COVID and community

The pandemic brought a complete halt to organ donations, which curtailed Perpignan’s full-time job at LiveOnNY, an organ transplant organization. He continued to work full-time, however, by picking up shifts in NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s cardiothoracic intensive care unit.

New York City hospitals during the height of the pandemic were “a war zone,” Perpignan said. The press of incoming cases was immense, with patients doubling up in the rooms. Many died alone, their family members unable to visit in their final days due to the highly contagious nature of the virus. Nurses themselves fell ill and some died.

“You took on so much trauma emotionally. You’re watching patients die left and right. If someone survived, it was a huge celebration,” he remembered.

Adding to the ordeal: Perpignan had to undergo quarantine away from his family. While working their hospital shifts, nurses stayed in hotel rooms; after their last shift, they stayed at the hotel for another 10 to 14 days before returning home. Perpignan’s wife and children understood the need for that time away, and stayed in touch through Facetime and video chats.

“I’m trying to be an example for my kids. I told them that there’s a gift you may have and there are people out there who need you, so sometimes you need to make sacrifices,” he said.

As a healthcare provider, Perpignan was deeply aware of the risks his elderly neighbors faced from the coronavirus. The Greater New York City Black Nurses Association teamed up with elected officials in the boroughs to address the needs of underserved communities.

In the Bronx, they arranged food deliveries, but members such as Perpignan also went to the store and pharmacy personally for their neighbors. When he moved into the 19-story building in his wife’s neighborhood, he made sure to forge meaningful relationships with fellow residents, many of whom had lived there since the 1970s.

“It was a tough time, but we made it work. There was a lot of positivity and a lot of community,” he said.

Community is the heart of both Perpignan’s work, and that of the Greater New York City Black Nurses Association, which provides resources to underserved communities. Many Black and brown communities don’t have access to adequate medical services, and may be unfamiliar or distrustful of the healthcare environment.

“Growing up, I don’t remember our family having a primary care provider or regular checkups; the emergency room was our checkup,” Perpignan explained.

The association brings health programs to inner-city schools, along with books, school supplies, toys and coats. Members also address issues pertinent to the community, such as Black maternal health; Black women, regardless of income or education, are three to four times more likely to die from complications related to birth, Perpignan explained. They also train neighborhoods in the use of Narcan, an opioid antagonist that stops overdoses, and pitch in at community events.

Paying it forward is a theme for Perpignan, and he offers some advice for people of any age who may face discouraging circumstances.

“Embrace the pain and the obstacles and the uncertainty. Always set goals for yourself,” he advised. “Embrace it, study it and build from it. Find ways to connect with other people and pay it back.”

EOP ALUMNUS GIVES BACK TO PROGRAM HE CREDITS FOR GETTING HIM ON PATH TO SUCCESS

This story appeared originally in the BingUNews. Image credit: Matthew Rodriguez, Darwin Martinez and BingUNews.

Darwin Martinez earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Binghamton University in 2011 and 2016, respectively.

By Kaitlyn Hart
December 17, 2021

When Darwin Martinez ‘11, MBA ‘16, was a student at Binghamton University, he got into trouble and needed a helping hand to get back on the right track.

“Through the efforts of the folks at the EOP [Educational Opportunity Program], I was able to get out of my situation,” Martinez said. “I saw how much it meant to them for me to remain a student at Binghamton University, and I wanted to make an effort to show them that I deserved to be at Binghamton. They were very supportive of that endeavor.”

Martinez graduated from the University with a bachelor’s degree in the dual degree program in business administration and Latin American and Caribbean area studies (LACAS), and then got his master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing. He has worked in the insurance industry for over a decade and has operated his own Goosehead Insurance agency in Yonkers, N.Y., since 2018.

He is also a co-owner of Ship & Nity, LLC, a freight trucking and logistics business, which he started with two of his Omega Psi Phi fraternity brothers and fellow EOP alumni, Alade McKen ’05 and Copeland Richards, who attended the BEP program in 1999 and was an EOP student from 1999 to 2002.

During his time at Binghamton, Martinez fondly remembers EOP events like the potluck around the holidays for students and going to the EOP office to get work done during the day.

“EOP gave me a sense of community,” Martinez said. “There is such a large advantage in being admitted into the EOP program and having that community that welcomes you prior to your [first] year. Knowing where to go and who to reach out to during those first couple of weeks is such a big advantage. We were pretty exposed to the campus and the services the University provides during the summer session, before the school year even started. That gives EOP students a real leg up when it comes to getting acclimated to the University lifestyle.”

Karima Legette, the director of EOP, said that support from alumni like Martinez is helpful in securing the necessary funding to continue the program.

“To get to higher ed annual advocacy day in Albany, N.Y., EOP will send students by charter bus to the Legislative Office Building to meet with NY State Senators and Assembly members,” Legette said. “In 2019, members of the Binghamton EOP Faculty and Staff Advisory Committee wanted to assist EOP in finding support for students to attend this event.”

As an alumnus of the program, Martinez understands how it can be life changing for the students enrolled in it. That’s why, when students headed to Albany to participate in EOP Advocacy Day in 2019 to secure a budget for EOP for the next year, Martinez wanted to help.

“[EOP] needed to charter a bus so they could send students to Albany,” Martinez said. “They reached out to me. If I recall correctly, I was the first one they reached out to. What mattered to me was who called, and that was my friend Dominic Davy [a 2011 Binghamton graduate who had returned to Binghamton after military service and was pursuing his PhD]. He was also an EOP student who has since passed away. I told him, ‘Let me know what the cost of it is, and I’ll take care of it. Don’t even bother making other phone calls, I’ll cover the cost of it.’ That was one of my last memories of Dominic, and I’m really glad that I was able to help him make an impact in what he was doing in Binghamton at the time.”

During Martinez’s time at the University, people in EOP helped him get jobs on campus with organizations such as the Multicultural Resource Center and the Audio Visual Department.

“Don’t take those resources for granted,” Martinez said. “Take action, and don’t be afraid to use those resources; they’re not limited. There’s a world of people who exist outside of the campus, and they can help you and provide a wealth of knowledge, so tap into those resources!”

One of the people who helped Martinez during his time at the University was Legette, who was starting in the program as a counselor during his first year. Through help from EOP alumni and the staff working for EOP, including his counselor Vanessa Young, Martinez was able to get the help he needed to succeed, both in college and afterwards.

“You’re currently facing what other people already have; you’re not alone,” Martinez said. “Don’t be afraid to reach out to the people in EOP, that’s what they’re there for.”