Over the past year, Blue Cross deepened our commitment to racial and health equity and set out on a journey to become an antiracist organization. To deliver on these goals, Blue Cross recently welcomed Bukata Hayes as vice president of racial and health equity.

As the new leader of Blue Cross’ racial and health equity strategy, Bukata is focused on embedding racial and health equity into both our internal culture and our external partnerships with the community.

Honoring service on the Greater Mankato Diversity Council

Community engagement and supporting community led efforts related to racial and health equity is nothing new to Bukata. In fact, for 15 years, up until this past March, Bukata served as the executive director of the Greater Mankato Diversity Council (GMDC), a nonprofit organization focused on providing diversity education as a catalyst for social and economic success.

During his time at GMDC, Bukata prepped Mankato organizations for the city’s changing demographics by increasing cultural competency among members, launching an annual Juneteenth celebration, and managing an initiative called Write on Race to be Right on Race.

“The two-year initiative, Write on Race to be Right on Race, was a deep dive into race and its many impacts on past, present and future generations— including things such as health, income and housing,” Bukata says. “The goal was to move participants from being passively nonracist to being actively antiracist by showing the intentionality around how race has been used to construct what we see in our communities today.”

Mankato Values event honors the volunteer achievement of Bukata Hayes

As a result of Bukata’s noteworthy impact on the Mankato community, the Boy Scouts of America Twin Valley Council recognized Bukata at their Mankato Values event, which honors individuals who live up to the Values of the Scout Oath and Law in their personal and professional lives.

Each year a group of community volunteers select recipients based on their community involvement. When asked why Bukata was chosen as one of this year’s honorees, Raymond Brauer, Scout Executive and CEO of Boy Scouts of America Twin Valley Council (pictured), noted Bukata’s exceptional work with GMDC.

“Bukata was chosen as an honoree due to the work he has done to promote diversity and inclusion as the executive director of the Greater Mankato Diversity Council,” Raymond says. “As well as, because of all the help and advice he has given to scouting in regard to reaching more diverse populations.”

Join us in congratulating Bukata!

Read more about Bukata Hayes and how he is advancing Blue Cross’ commitment to antiracism.