Dear KAFP members,
Our chapter has prided itself on being inclusive and welcoming people and perspectives from across our state. But what is happening in our nation following the tragic events on Monday, May 25 is nothing short of an awakening in our society.
Witnessing or participating in protests, in-person or through the media, can generate many different emotions. Anger, fear, depression or anxiety. You might still be processing your emotions -- and that is okay. We pray for the safety of everyone, as we struggle to find peace and purpose in the wake of unspeakable tragedy and pain. The video showing the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis has shaken our entire nation. The KAFP stands in solidarity with
AAFP’s strong statement
opposing racism in any form.
As family physicians, we have taken an oath to do no harm. We are trained to offer our medical skills to those in need. Our job is to heal. We must all acknowledge racial injustice can cause physical harm. If you are hurting please seek aide from your family physician or your colleagues within KAFP.
If you are able to show solidarity to the Black Lives Matter movement to combat racial injustice in your community, you can participate in
#whitecoatsforblacklives
today, Friday, June 5 at noon CT. Simply stop where you are, kneel on one knee and bow your head for 10 minutes. Be sure to continue observing social distancing and mask-wearing. Join your colleagues at the University of Kansas Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. Learn more
here
.
The KAFP is ready to take action to address systemic racism in our country and continue to be part of the solution. While we have provided CME on topics related to social determinants of health in the past, we know we need to do more. We were recently awarded a grant from AAFP to host implicit bias training. Our plan is to present four to six webinars over the next 12 months related to implicit bias in healthcare, culminating in a live CME event during
Fam Med Forward
2021. We will share this content with our members so you can educate your staff teams as well as other healthcare providers in our communities. Watch your email for more information soon. If you have experience providing implicit bias training or ideas for topics, we want to hear from you. Please email the KAFP staff team at
info@KAFPonline.org
.
The KAFP is listening and learning.
Sincerely,
