#blacklivesmatter
The world has borne witness to horrific acts against black people and it must come to an end. AATOD and its member programs are no strangers to cultural conflict in view of our long history in treating a misunderstood and stigmatized patient population.
We have learned that in order for our society to change in any profound way, especially where there are deeply rooted views on racial differences and equality, it can only be accomplished through sustained, honest and challenging conversations. The current civil unrest continues against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and the disproportionately high infection rates among black and brown people. We also know that black and brown people are incarcerated at similarly disproportionate rates. These are deeply troubling and dangerous realities.
Clearly, we need to avoid returning to any sense of social complacency when doing so suggests continuing the history and current pattern of unfair treatment and blatant discrimination of our families, friends, and neighbors by the criminal justice system or any institution. Instead, we need to be respectful of one another and sustain a constructive and honest dialogue in the hope of making meaningful social changes to be a better, equitable and more just society. Only then will we bear witness to the elimination of racial inequality, which will make us a better people. Now is the time to act since racial injustice affects us all.
This graphic represents the Legal Action Center’s No Health = No Justice Campaign which works to address the intersection of historic racism in the health care and criminal justice systems, which together make life difficult and disempowering – and too often deadly – for people of color in the US.
For details about LAC’s No Health = No Justice Campaign, please visit https://www.lac.org/
