Racial Equity

Historically, underserved and underrepresented populations have been excluded from neurological research, which impacts how findings are applied in clinical practice. Gloria Annette Aguirre ’23 suggests best practices based on her experiences with local community organizations and collaboration efforts to boost participation from these populations.

Sagal Ali ’23 led the implementation of a community project focused on creating supportive spaces for Somali mothers whose children are at risk of or struggling with opioid addiction. The project aims to challenge the stigma and stereotypes surrounding drug addiction within the Somali community while providing a space for mothers to share their experiences and build a sense of community. Sagal led this project on behalf of Ayada Leads, a non-profit organization that supports women in the African diaspora in leadership development.

Angela Echiverri ’18 co-developed a leadership pathways course to help underrepresented in medicine faculty improve their leadership skills and overcome barriers. The course also aims to support allies who want to foster a more welcoming and inclusive environment at their institutions.

Brenda Hughes ’21 serves as the Chief Equity Officer for the South Carolina Food Policy Council. She helps guide the Council in emphasizing racial equity to create a more just and healthy food system in South Carolina.

Toyese Oyeyemi ’17 emphasizes the importance of having honest conversations about race and its impact on medicine because silencing discussions about systemic racism in healthcare and the healthcare workforce blocks progress, and Black patients are the ones who suffer the most.

Education of health care clinicians on racial and ethnic disparities in the United States has mainly concentrated on emphasizing statistics and cultural competency, with little focus on racism. Joedrecka Brown Speights ’17 was part of a team that developed a relationship-based workshop and toolkit highlighting issues that medical educators should tackle when teaching about racism within the context of harmful health disparities.

Bram Wispelwey ’20 and Michelle Morse wrote “An Antiracist Agenda for Medicine," advocating for comprehensive policy reforms, greater representation of marginalized groups in the medical field, and the incorporation of antiracist principles into medical education and practice. The article calls for a unified effort to dismantle structural barriers and promote health equity so that all patients receive fair and just care.