Our memo brings together information that reflects the current thinking on how to progress Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the workplace. Each month it is bursting with highlights for reflection and inspiration. Let us continue to work together to help influence social change, to achieve a safer and fairer society.
*Please note that this memo reflects the feelings and thoughts of your Diversity Committee. It is not meant to capture all the feelings within our Department. We openly recognize all may not agree. We do hope these memos help educate all of us about diversity issues and in addition invoke thoughtful and courteous discussion and debate*
~ The Pediatrics Diversity Committee
|
|
May is claimed by many to be “their month”. May is ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) Month, Haitian Heritage Month and South Asian American Heritage Month. It is also Mental Health Month and Older Americans Month.
This year’s theme for Older American’s Month is “Age My Way” which focuses on education on how older adults can stay in their homes and communities. Since it is Older American’s Month it is a good opportunity to discuss ageism, which we do not talk about nearly enough. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) made it illegal to discriminate against workers over 40 – despite this, 2 out of 3 workers aged 45-74 say they have seen or experience age discrimination at work (AARP is the source of ageism facts). You should know:
- Age discrimination is illegal during hiring, promotions, raises and layoffs.
- It is legal for employers to ask age and graduation date.
- A 2009 Supreme Court ruling makes it harder for older workers to prove age discrimination.
- Not getting hired is the most common form of age discrimination.
Last year the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission received 20, 857 charges of age discrimination.
|
|
UPCOMING DIVERSITY TOWN HALL |
|
Topic: Next Steps: Pediatric Climate Survey
Date: Thursday, June 2, 2022
Time: 12:00pm – 1:00p
Zoom Info:
Meeting ID: 980 2055 2152
Passcode: 076660
|
|
Susanne Tropez-Sims, MD, MPH
Celebrated by Marquis Who's Who for Accomplishments in Pediatrics
BRENTWOOD, TN, March 31, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ --Susanne Tropez-Sims, MD, MPH, has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Recognized for more than four decades of invaluable contributions to her field, Dr. Tropez-Sims parlays her knowledge into her role as pediatric clerkship director for Meharry Medical College, where she has been since 2005. She has held two other roles with Meharry since 1997 serving as chair of the Department of Pediatrics until accepting an Associate Dean of Clinical Affiliations in 2005.
In addition she served for 8 years as Chair of the School of Medicine Curriculum Committee. Before entering the industry in a professional capacity, she earned a Bachelor of Science from Bennett College and an MD from the University of North Carolina. After graduating, she started as a resident in pediatrics at North Carolina Memorial Hospital.
Subsequently, she worked as a pediatrician at Darnell Army Hospital and acting director of the pediatrics day clinic at Wake County Medical Center. Towards the end of her time there, she earned a Master of Public Health from the University of North Carolina. Since then, she has served as director of the pediatrics day clinic and associate professor for the University of North Carolina, associate professor of pediatrics for Louisiana State University Medical Center, and associate dean of academy support, chair, and professor of the pediatrics department for Meharry Medical College. Read the full article.
|
|
How Hospitals Can Address Clinician Burnout and Improve Workforce Diversity
After more than a year and a half of battling the coronavirus pandemic, many health care workers are tired as the fight against COVID-19 enters a new phase.
As hospitals are once again inundated with patients amid a surging delta variant, health care leaders are balancing the demands of the present while also preparing for the future of the industry, according to a panel of health executives who participated in a recent U.S. News & World Report webinar, part of the ongoing Healthcare of Tomorrow virtual event series.
Health care workers "are mission-driven, they are dedicated," said Robyn Begley, CEO of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership and chief nursing officer and senior vice president for workforce at the American Hospital Association. "I will say, though, it's difficult to go home for the day and become engaged in 'normal life' activities after seeing so much pain and loss."
"The duration of this pandemic, 18 months, has been the thing that has been so wearing on our health care workers," Begley said. "We know burnout was an issue prior to the pandemic, we know it has only gotten worse." Still, she noted, so many clinicians and staff demonstrated their resilience and continued working, "often at significant personal sacrifice."
Shaun Smith, senior vice president and chief human resources officer at New York-Presbyterian, noted that retaining health care workers and training the next generation of professionals are other major challenges, especially amid the pandemic, staff turnover and as an aging U.S. population increases demand for health services. Read the full article.
|
|
Inclusion: Diversity, The New Workplace & The Will to Change
by Jennifer Brown
Inclusion: Diversity, The New Workplace & The Will To Change acknowledges that change is hard, but necessary. The global landscape is ever-shifting, and inclusive workplaces are the way of the future. The momentum towards more diverse companies will not slow or reverse, and tomorrow’s most successful organizations embrace this fact. Change is never easy though.
This book envisions a future where all employees feel welcomed, appreciated, and acknowledged, but only after the workforce overcomes current discomforts and roadblocks. This book presents strategies to help workers and executives appreciate the need for increased diversity and inclusion, both for the sake of underrepresented employees and the business’s bottom line.
Notable Quote: “The best first step toward designing a successful inclusion strategy for a diverse workplace is to listen to what your employees are saying. It seems obvious, but true listening is in short supply in our frenetic, hierarchical world.”
|
|
We are in the process of developing sub-committees to further our work, expedite our cause, and make it possible for more people to be involved. Your beliefs do not need to be the same as that of the current committee. If you are interested, please let us know which committee would be of interest to you. If you have an area of interest that is not listed, please make that known. The topics for these sub-committees may grow, shrink, or disappear. Please email peds_diversity@med.unc.edu if you are interested in joining.
Our sub-committees to date will include:
- Pediatric Student Curriculum
- Pediatric Resident Curriculum
- Pediatric Fellow Curriculum
- Town Hall and Grand Round Topics
- Advocacy for our Hispanic Population
- Advocacy for our Native American Population
- Promotion Diversity Statements/ Exit Interviews
- Clinical Care
- Mentorship of UIM in Pediatrics
- Wellness
|
|
Wellbeing Coaching and Resources as part of Mentorship
With the help of a pilot grant from the UNC School of Medicine’s Office of Faculty Affairs and the Center for Health Innovation, a team led by Suzanne Kennedy, PhD is carrying out a project to integrate wellbeing coaching into faculty mentoring in Pediatrics. As part of that, a short video/slide presentation was developed for mentors to orient them to resources available, and it can be viewed here [link]. A big thank you to Drs. Hernandez, Mills and Kihlstrom for their starring roles!
|
|
Saturday May 21 | 10:00a - 11:30 a.m. at the Ackland Art Mueseum
Hear from artist Kiara Sanders about the Chapel Hill-Carrboro African American Trailblazers mural, which was inspired by the work of Aaron Douglas. Meet at the Ackland to view Modern Black Culture then embark on a mural walk, stopping at various art along way, and ending at the African American Trailblazers mural. The total walking distance is about one mile.
Throughout the event, Sanders will share her artistic influences (including Aaron Douglas), the role of public art by Black artists in our community, and how the Trailblazers mural came to be.
May 25 - May 26 | DDI Board Boot Camp
Hosted by the Director Diversity Initiative, this program is designed for women, people of color, and those who would add in other ways to diversity and who want to learn more about corporate board service. Topics include the job of a director, the skills needed and how to develop them, realistic approaches to advancing your candidacy for a board of directors’ position, diverse directors in non-diverse settings, and evaluating companies and opportunities. Enrollment is limited and based upon application. Details and Registration
|
|
Reoccuring Events/Resources:
|
|
Underrepresented in Medicine Community List
The purpose of the Underrepresented in Medicine Community List is to allow students, staff, residents, and faculty of underrepresented identities that are affiliated with the UNC School of Medicine to find community, mentorship, and representation. Such identities include those belonging to non-dominant religions, races or ethnicities, and sexualities or gender identities.
This community is open and accessible to anyone with a UNC Onyen and password, including current staff, faculty, students, residents, and fellows.
|
|
|
|
May Dates to Note
Other important dates can be found on the
|
|
Jewish-American Heritage Month |
|
Mental Health Awareness Month |
|
National Asian American and
South Pacific Islander Heritage Month
|
|
|
South Asian American Heritage Month |
|
May 3 - Eid al-Fitr, a Muslim celebration of the end of Ramadan, a month long fast from sunrise to sunset. |
|
May 5 – Cinco do Mayo, celebrates the Mexican military victory over Napoleon III's French forces in 1862
|
|
May 17 – International day against homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia
|
|
May 21 – World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.
|
|
May 24 – Declaration of the Bab,
when a merchant, Sayyed ʻAlí Muḥammad Shírází in 1844 declared he was the messenger from God (Bab), a central figure in the Baha’i faith.
|
|
May 29 – Ascension of Baha’u’llah, commemorates the anniversary of the death of the founder of the Bahá'í faith, Bahá'u'lláh.
|
|
|
|
May 30 – Memorial Day when we commemorate those who lost their lives while serving in the US armed services, a good time to remember that discrimination based on veteran status or veteran disabilities is illegal. There are several laws that protect our veterans. The most common form of discrimination is in hiring because of the fear and misconception that all veterans suffer from mental health problems or PTSD and will be disruptive and a liability in the work force. Currently there are over 20 million veterans in the United States.
|
|
Dates to Note is a compilation intended to include, but is not all-inclusive, notable information from the internet, Diversity Best Practices, 2021 Diversity Holiday Calendar, and other sources. |
|
Stuart Gold, MD - Committee Chair
Christian Lawrence, MD -Committee Vice Chair
|
|
Alessandra Angelino, MD
Benny Joyner, MD
Christel Wekon-kemeni, MD
Denita Moore, Coordinator
Jen Fuchs, MD
|
|
Jennifer Gutierrez-Wu, MD
Jennifer McElroy, MSN
Kenya McNeal-Trice, MD
Martha Perry, MD
|
|
Nikki Ferrin, MD
Nina Jain, MD
Robin Howard, Coordinator
Steven Weinberg, MD
Zachary Pettigrew, MD
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
