Thread by @BoukaMD

This is thread: subtleties of systemic racism, Canada

When I was in medical school, experiencing "pseudo" single parenthood (a partner who lived in a different city for also education), I was required to travel to a different province for a total of 16 weeks. 1/

I knew before starting med school I would have to travel, but not the details. It was a draw amongst students, arbitrary, divided in 4-week periods. At that point, med life had already been hard, I had 3rd baby, following a high risk pregnancy. 2/

A family member who was supposed to come help me out, had her travelling visa denied...twice. Anyways, I tried to fight for accommodations explaining the undue hardship this would cause on my family, but I was told that they had to be fair to all the other students 3/

After fighting tooth and nail, I managed with the help of some friends to put together 4 consecutive months when my entire family would relocate over my partner's summer uni semester (because the program did want to be involved in selecting tracks for students, 4/

YOU had to ask your colleagues to sacrifice themselves).

So up and away we went. We did the best we could. The campus did not provide family housing and we had limited funds (as we were both students). So, my partner and my kids stayed with my parents 2 hours away. 5/

He had to forego a COOP semester (work experience) so he could take care of the children, because he did not have the connections to find employment in Quebec with his limited French. My child had to go without much needed professional speech therapy. 6/

I took a "positive outlook". I was going to focus. I was going to learn. I was going to do a kick-ass job and my kids were fortunate to spend some time with my family.

A month or 2 in, I found out that 2 other mothers (white women) had negotiated an agreement with the program 7/

and had managed to shortened their 16-wk travelling requirements to 8. It wasn't easy, but they did it. 1 of them, a friend of mine, had told me. I could've called someone, appealed my case again. They probably would have said yes by then, but the damage had already been done. 8/

I was a performing student, heavily involved in student life, in advocacy. I was the youngest mother, with the highest number of kids and the youngest children, including one with special needs and I had no family support in the city. 9/

But I appealed to the subconscious stereotype of the STRONG Black woman. Not vulnerable, not needing of help.

When people exist in a system that they don't believe can be perverted by racism, they. don't. have. to. think. about. it. I knew what I was experiencing, 10/

couldn't be brought up in those words, at the risk of alienating my colleagues and the administration. Was it my colleagues' fault for advocating for themselves? no. Was the administration been purposely malicious? probably not. Could someone, anyone have spoken up? Probably. 11/

BUT they. could. not. see.
At grad, I delivered the valedictorian speech with a colleague of mine. I was given a prize for my achievements and it culminated with a long standing ovation. I was happy, but I talked about it with my sister that evening. I didn't need all this. 12/

I just needed support and I didn't get it.

People are always shocked when you bring up stories like these until they realize how they were involved. This is exactly what systemic racism can look like. #systemicracism #blacklivesmatter 13/ END

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