The first session of the Journeys in Medicine: Exploring the Roles Race and Community Play in Shaping the DOM conversation held on Tuesday, May 26, brought to light the stories and challenges that several members of the Department of Medicine have had and their reactions to the riots that erupted in the streets of Baltimore during the week of April 27.
Speaker Sherita Golden, executive vice-chair, discussed her own experiences with racism and prejudice and shared her concern that even 47 years after the 1968 riots, racial tension still exists between the African American community and the police. She also described how those challenging early life experiences positively shaped her career in medicine as a clinician and servant leader.
When moderator Deidra Crews, chair of the Department of Medicine Diversity Council, asked how panelists reacted to the events that occurred surrounding April 27, most expressed a sense of shock, sadness, and frustration. Our panelists expressed concern for the community and its’ challenges in attracting economic investment, racial profiling by police and the need to address tensions in the community by developing real solutions to the disparities present there. We are grateful to our panelists, who helped open an excellent dialogue with the audience:
- Dr. Antonio Graham, fellow in the Division of Geriatric Medicine
- Dr. Sabra Lewsey, internal medicine resident
- Ms. Debbie Michell, registered nurse on the HIV treatment and outreach unit
- Dr. Roy Ziegelstein, cardiologist and vice dean for education
After only one session, the Journeys in Medicine lectures are creating a comfortable medium to discuss the events in Baltimore and the root issues behind them as well as providing insight into how members of the Department of Medicine have reacted and how we can respond in order to make an impact in our community.
We hope that you will join us for our next session on Wednesday, June 3 from 12-1 p.m. in Hurd Hall where speaker James Page, vice president and chief diversity officer for Johns Hopkins Medicine, will lead an implicit bias interactive demonstration and conversation.
To RSVP, please click here:
https://jhmi.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_9MOiMHJskBSiRdH
