Dear Colleagues:

The January 6th assault on the US Capitol and our democratic process was a deadly day, replete with race baiting, bigotry, and symbols of hate - a shrill clarion call that race in America remains a political issue deeply woven in the fabric of our country and institutions. When this polarization intersects with medicine and our healthcare systems, structural racism and implicit bias contribute to health disparities and impact our ability to deliver quality patient care, education, research, and workplace environments.

As oncology professionals, we have a duty to serve all cancer patients and create safe, culturally adaptive environments for healing. To do so, we must recognize that people of color face both structural racism (built into our systems) and implicit bias (microaggressions and assumptions). Individually and collectively, we must contemplate the cultural conventions that govern the ways we speak about race, challenge our existing notions of what is racial, and become more fluent in assessing the stories we consume about race and racism. To support self-reflection on racism and its devastating effects on individuals and society, we share with colleagues a curated list of educational resources:

First up, implicit bias. Consider taking Harvard’s Hidden Bias test that measures unconscious, or automatic, bias: www.implicit.harvard.edu. A willingness to examine our own possible biases is an important step in understanding the roots of stereotypes and prejudice in our society.

Second, read White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack by Peggy McIntosh. This brief essay explores an "invisible package of unearned assets" that white people experience in everyday life, examined in a metaphorical knapsack: https://tinyurl.com/y5nyu2x7.

Third, add one or more of these books by Black authors to your kindle or library. And remember to purchase from a minority-owned bookstore!

• Medical Apartheid by Harriet A. Washington

• Restorative Yoga for Ethnic and Race-Based Stress and Trauma by Gail Parker, PhD

• Mindful of Race: Transforming Racism from the Inside Out by Ruth King

• How to be Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

• Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World by Layla F. Saad

• Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coates

• Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi

• My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem, MSW, LICSW

Fourth, learn more about systemic racism and implicit bias through trainings, webinars, and podcasts. Here are a few ideas:

• Attend anti-racism trainings such as those offered by Racial Equity Institute: www.racialequityinstitute.com.

• Read the statement on race by the American Anthropological Association: https://tinyurl.com/y42ftzqj.

• Review the AACR Cancer Disparities Progress Report: https://cancerprogressreport.aacr.org/disparities/

• Learn about tolerance at Teaching Tolerance: www.tolerance.org.

And finally, when no one is watching, and especially when no one is watching … amplify the voices of Black, indigenous, and people of color. Start today by sharing these resources with your community. 

Healthcare professionals are fighting two contagions: Covid-19 and racism. To effect sustainable change, contemplation without action is not enough.

Sincerely,

Leigh Leibel, MSc

Columbia University Irving Medical Center, NY, New York