For months now, you’ve trusted me to tell you truth.
And as a physician & public health professional, there is no greater truth rn than this:
Racism is a public health crisis.
COVID has amplified structural inequities that have existed in our society & culture for too long...
And as a physician & public health professional, there is no greater truth rn than this:
Racism is a public health crisis.
COVID has amplified structural inequities that have existed in our society & culture for too long...
These inequities and systemic racism are built into the system in which white health professionals like me are raised and trained.
For their to be change, my white colleagues in academia must first recognize both how AND how much we benefit from this entrenched white supremacy.
For their to be change, my white colleagues in academia must first recognize both how AND how much we benefit from this entrenched white supremacy.
Our health professions can only better serve Black communities when these professions reflect & incorporate their voices & realities.
As a white man in academia, I have everything to gain with the status quo.
Which is why it must change.
Continuing to support it is complicity.
As a white man in academia, I have everything to gain with the status quo.
Which is why it must change.
Continuing to support it is complicity.
This will require all of us in academia to actively advance & promote our colleagues of color.
It also will require us to take a step back to provide those opportunities, which will be the greater challenge for many of us.
Most importantly, It’s inherent on us to do the work.
It also will require us to take a step back to provide those opportunities, which will be the greater challenge for many of us.
Most importantly, It’s inherent on us to do the work.
To be advocates, we must take action!
We must educate ourselves. This work is on us. There are so many anti-racism resources available with a quick search, but this is a start. 👇
I will commit here and now to reading as many of these as possible.
docs.google.com/document/d/1BR…
We must educate ourselves. This work is on us. There are so many anti-racism resources available with a quick search, but this is a start. 👇
I will commit here and now to reading as many of these as possible.
docs.google.com/document/d/1BR…
All of my white colleagues must pledge to what @DrOniBee has asked of us:
We must speak out against our white supremacy.
We must reject our unearned privilege.
We must step aside to create opportunities for Black leadership.
We must speak out against our white supremacy.
We must reject our unearned privilege.
We must step aside to create opportunities for Black leadership.
Only then can white health professionals be real advocates and partners.
Only then can we help tackle and address the root causes of why the health of Black and other minority communities has been disproportionately impacted long before and during this #COVID19 pandemic.
Only then can we help tackle and address the root causes of why the health of Black and other minority communities has been disproportionately impacted long before and during this #COVID19 pandemic.
I will continue to use this platform to update on #COVID19, as we’re still struggling with this global pandemic.
But I‘ll also use it to amplify voices that highlight the profound extent to which racism is a pervasive public health crisis.
Please take heed. And take action. 🙏
But I‘ll also use it to amplify voices that highlight the profound extent to which racism is a pervasive public health crisis.
Please take heed. And take action. 🙏
