Join us for a reflective session on August 27th as we honor the memory of Mike Brown and discuss the progress and challenges in achieving racial equity in the region. Register here to participate in this important conversation.
On Friday, August 9, we commemorated the 10th anniversary of the murder of Michael Brown, Jr. and the Ferguson Uprising.
The impact of his killing and the uprising created unimaginable pain and loss. It also fueled a significant movement for racial justice across the St. Louis region and nationally. From the Ferguson Commission Report to Forward Through Ferguson and the Black Lives Matter movement, a vision and a road map for achieving racial justice was created. The impact of August 9, 2014, on the St. Louis region, the county, and the world cannot be overstated, and we encourage you to take time to consider both the pain and growth, the loss and the commitment to change that came as a result. Since then, we have seen clear evidence of the work that remains. We continue to mourn the loss of numerous unarmed Black people who have been killed since 2014, from George Floyd in 2020 to Sonya Massey only a few weeks ago. We lean on the wise words of our community leaders: the only way forward is through. We commit to keep going.
Washington University School of Medicine has been greatly impacted and has continued to grow and evolve in our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion since the summer of 2014. We are deeply grateful to our partners across campus who have helped advance all aspects of our work, and specifically those who have furthered our racial equity efforts through our Understanding Systemic Racism curriculum and our Equity Champions program. Among the most important messages the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion wants to share about the work for equity and justice is that its foundation is relationships. We at Washington University School of Medicine have a responsibility to know and be a part of the communities we serve.
Therefore, in honor of Michael Brown, Jr.’s death and the Ferguson Uprising, offering an invitation to join us on our journey to dismantle systemic racism in all its forms on our campus. We invite you to a Special Perspectives on August 27th to reflect on where we are 10 years later. We thank you in advance for the actions you take and remind you that you are not alone; this work must advance in community. We commit to keep going together.
Registration Link: https://wustl-hipaa.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYpcu6qqT8qHtScWeSJEQqm_58XqN_5Pv4x#/registration
Objectives of the session include: Reflecting on the state of racial equity in the region since the death of Mike Brown; discussing the Ferguson Commission and Forward Through Ferguson reports on racial equity progress in the region; and examining changes in WUSM policy and culture over the last ten years.
Accommodation: Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all Washington University School of Medicine-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires reasonable accommodation to participate in this event at least one week before the event, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the Washington University School of Medicine Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in advance at 314-273-2809 or MedDEI@wustl.edu