For the 10th consecutive year, students, faculty and staff at UNC Adams School of Dentistry came together for DEAH DAY (Directing Efforts And Honoring Deah And Yusor), an annual day of service honoring the lives of Deah Barakat, DDS ‘17, Yusor Abu-Salha, DDS ‘19, and Razan Abu-Salha, who were killed in a 2014 hate crime.
“DEAH DAY is a special day here at ASOD. It’s such a wonderful way for us to embrace the spirit of service and truly honor the lives of Deah, Yusor and Razan we lost to tragedy. I’m so proud of our students, faculty and staff for choosing to give back to our community and make a difference,” said Janet Guthmiller, DDS, PhD, dean, Adams School of Dentistry.
Because acts of service were important to Deah, teams of ASOD students, faculty and staff worked across the Triangle on various service projects, supporting local charities and organizations dedicated to an array of services. Volunteers spent time working with Durham Rescue Mission, Triangle Land Conservancy, Meals on Wheels, REACH clinic, Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge,Note in the Pocket, Grow Your World, NC Diaper Bank, the Duke Lemur Center, Carolina Community Garden, CAARE clinic, Piedmont Wildlife Center, Raleigh Rescue Mission, Animal Protection Society, Book Harvest, Ronald McDonald House, Seymour Center, Salvation Army, SECU Family House, Threshold Club House and TABLE, and helped clean up waterways near Jordan Lake.
Student organizers are key to making this event possible, and it’s a labor intensive task, but the rewards are endless for the participants.
“ASOD is filled with incredible leaders who inspire me daily with their dedication, humility, and empathy. Watching them inspires me to step up to put into action what I’ve learned from them and make a greater impact. I can think of no better way to honor the lessons I’ve learned here than by participating in DEAH DAY,” said Olivia Maidans, DDS ‘27, one of the site leaders for the day.
“Participating in DEAH DAY is important to me because it’s a day dedicated to putting our school’s values into action, which is something I believe truly makes ASOD unique. I strongly believe that volunteering and engaging with the community offers as much to us as we give back. It allows me to step outside of my routine, work with new people, and gain insight into the needs of our community.”
Olivia maidans, DDS ’27
Faculty and staff members also enjoy giving back to their communities, working alongside students and helping community organizations in need.
“I enjoy participating each year in DEAH DAY to serve the community in honor of the three students who left a lasting impact on the school of dentistry and surrounding community. Also, it’s nice to see the whole school come together on this day, sharing bonding moments with my department, as well as working with other members of the school that I wouldn’t necessarily interact with in my day to day,” said Annalise Beebe, digital communications specialist at ASOD.
“I have been participating in DEAH DAY since 2021, and I plan to continue to do so,” said Monique Hayes, administrative support associate. “If there is something for me to do that will allow me to give back to the community as well as send a positive message about the reason DEAH DAY was started, who Deah, Yusor and Razan were, and the importance of UNITY, then count me in every time. I have learned so much about the community I have lived in for the past 12+ years that I had no idea ever existed until now due to my participation in the DEAH DAY event. DEAH DAY to me, will always hold a special place in my heart. I have grown to love servicing the community and actually look forward to participating each year. My ultimate goal is to be able to work with each site at least once in my lifetime.”
