Navigating Through Difficult Times
In these challenging times, as our university, city, and country grapple with the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, it is crucial that we stand together in the pursuit of equity, respect, and social justice. These values are central to the well-being of our school, communities, and the world.
Eileen L. Strempel, Inaugural Dean of the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, has penned a heartfelt message, hoping for deeper understanding, respect, and meaningful reform. Quoting Dr. King's explanation of true peace as the presence of justice, she calls upon us all to take action against inaction and silence, which she believes are complacent and indifferent to suffering.
The UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine offers multiple resources and initiatives to engage in anti-racism within academic communities. One such program is the Cultural North Star, a shared value system developed by the DGSOM community, emphasising commitment to justice, improvement, and kindness.
UCLA enforces the University of California Anti-Discrimination Policy in all departments, including within health services and employment, to ensure a discrimination-free environment. Educational and training fellowships, like the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Fellowship, educate future physicians on culturally sensitive and competent care.
Faculty such as Dr. Pamina M. Gorbach and Dr. Angie Denisse Otiniano Verissimo have conducted research on social determinants of health, infectious diseases, and marginalized populations, integrating anti-racist perspectives in biobehavioral and epidemiological fields at UCLA.
UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health and the David Geffen School of Medicine collaborate through centres like the UCLA Bixby Center to Advance Sexual and Reproductive Health Equity and the Center for Global and Immigrant Health, promoting health equity and addressing institutional racism's impact on public health.
While no single document from the DGSOM explicitly lists a comprehensive “anti-racism toolkit”, the combination of institutional policies, educational fellowships, faculty research focus on health equity, and cultural values programs constitute UCLA’s resources for engaging in anti-racism in academic and clinical contexts.
The article also addresses the personal side of this struggle, offering resources for self-care for people of colour after experiencing psychological trauma and resources for offering support and solidarity to the Black community. It is important to understand that your Black colleagues may not appear to be struggling, but they may be experiencing emotional distress.
The writer urges readers to take care of themselves and each other during these distressing and overwhelming times. Affirming Black lives should be done in a way that does not induce trauma. The events expose deep wounds of racism that have plagued the country for a long time, and it is our responsibility to combat racism, foster inclusive excellence, and engage in active and engaged anti-racist practices.
The writer does not know the ideal pathway to justice but promises to listen with an open heart. Let us find comfort together in our shared humanity and in our hope and demand for justice.
Engaging in education and self-development is crucial to fostering inclusive excellence and actively combating racism. This could involve participating in anti-racism resources provided by the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, such as the Cultural North Star program or educational fellowships like the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Fellowship. Furthermore, understanding the emotional toll that these troubling times have on individuals, particularly people of color, is essential, and self-care resources for them are available for those who need support.
