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 of 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
MONTH AWARENESS
If you have a July birthday, you keep good company! Some birthdays to celebrate this month include:

  • July 2nd – Thurgood Marshall’s birthday – he was the first Black man on the US Supreme Court and a civil rights leader. While on the bench he was best known for arguing Brown vs. Education which declared that “separate but equal” was unconstitutional in the public school system. He was recognized for his contributions to this country by receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
  • July 6th is the 14th Dalai Lama’s birthday - the most famous Tibetan Buddhist Teacher. He is the highest spiritual Leader and former Head of State of Tibet.
  • July 6th - Frida Kahlo’s birthday - she was a very famous Mexican artist known for her self -portraits. She is known as an ardent feminist and someone who help break down gender stereotypes.
  • July 18th Nelson Mandela’s birthday - a South African Civil Rights leader who in 1993 won the Nobel Prize for Peace. He was the first President of South Africa and held this position from 1994 until 1999.

Other dates to remember in July include, but are not limited to:

  1. July 7th, the Hajj, an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The holiday lasts five days. Of note, this pilgrimage must be done at least once in the life of a Muslim. 
  2. The 25th is Pioneer Day. This holiday is associated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormon Church). This date marks the day when the Mormon Church Founder, Brigham Young, first arrived in Salt Lake City. 
  3. The 26th of July is the anniversary of the American with Disability Act (ADA) which made it illegal to discriminate against those with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, and access to state and local government programs and services.
  4. And of course, July 4th which commemorates our Declaration of Independence. The most important declaration in this document is the guarantee of equal rights for every person. We have a ways to go but we have to make this one right through education, mutual respect, conversation and love.
UPCOMING DIVERSITY TOWN HALL
SPOTLIGHT
Face of Defense: Healing with Fortitude

As a child, Navy Capt. Lynelle Boamah always wanted to be a doctor, but she never pictured that she would one day be advising military leaders on the health and wellness of an entire region of troops.  

Boamah, 53, is the U.S. Third Fleet surgeon, meaning she currently consults the San Diego-based fleet's leadership on all things medical. Before taking that role, the board-certified pediatric gastroenterologist was the first Black female Medical Corps commanding officer to lead the Navy Medical Readiness and Training Command in Twentynine Palms, California, and direct its Robert E. Bush Naval Hospital. Prior to that, she was the executive officer of the hospital ship USNS Mercy. 

But Boamah's 27-year journey to get where she is now wasn't easy. On top of medical school being incredibly difficult, she didn't come from a family of means. Boamah, who grew up in Baltimore, said her family was homeless at one point and that she lost her father to gun violence. People also often told her as a child and a medical student that she would never become a doctor. "There are a lot of dream smashers out there," she said.  

So, what kept her going? Internal fortitude, a lot of great mentors, and some encouragement from her sister to join the Navy. 

For those of you who've ever had a dream that you weren't sure could be realized, you'll want to read these facts about Boamah and the advice she has for success. 

Her upbringing wasn't exactly conducive to her career goals. 

Boamah said she came from a poor family but was helped by college mentors who visited her high school. "We wanted to get out of the neighborhoods that we were in and take advantage of all the opportunities," Boamah said. "But there were tons of obstacles."  Read the full spotlight on Navy Capt. Lynelle Boamah.
ARTICLE OF THE MONTH
BIPOC Mental Health Month
By INSIGHT Staff - June 27, 2022

This July marks the 14th annual observance of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) Mental Health Month, previously known as National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. The observance comes at a critical time on college campuses, as concerns regarding psychological and emotional well-being are at an all-time high for young people and students, especially those from underrepresented communities. 

Ample research has shown that the educational, economic, and social turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has increased anxiety and depression among college students. For young people of color, these effects have been compounded by racial violence and discrimination. Yet this population is significantly less likely to obtain psychological support services due to the high costs of mental health care, the social stigma associated with seeking treatment, a lack of access to culturally competent counselors, and a general mistrust of medical professionals, according to the organization Mental Health America. 

A 2018 study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that among college students with clinically significant mental health problems, only one-third of Latinx students and one-quarter of Black and Asian students received treatment compared with half of White students.

Some colleges and universities are addressing these disparities by improving overall campus climate and mental health support for people of color. In observance of BIPOC Mental Health Month, INSIGHT recognizes some of the institutions whose innovative programs and initiatives are increasing access to crucial services and advancing psychological and emotional wellness for ethnically and racially underrepresented students. Read the full article.
RECOMMENDED READS
By Mary-Frances Winters
 
Instead of shutting down any mention of taboo topics, Mary-Frances Winters shows how to structure intentional conversations about them, so people can safely confront biases and stereotypes and create stronger, more inclusive organizations.
Politics, religion, race - we can't talk about topics like these at work, right? But in fact, these conversations are happening all the time, either in real life or virtually via social media. And if they aren't handled effectively, they can become more polarizing and divisive, impacting productivity, engagement, retention, teamwork, and even employees' sense of safety in the workplace. But you can turn that around and address difficult topics in a way that brings people together instead of driving them apart.
 
As a thought leader in the field of diversity and inclusion, Mary-Frances Winters has been helping clients create inclusive environments for over three decades. In this concise and powerful book, she shows you how to lay the groundwork for having bold, inclusive conversations.
 
Even with the best of intentions, you can't just start talking about taboo topics - that's wandering into a minefield. Winters offers exercises and tools to help you become aware of how your cultural background has shaped your perceptions and habits and to increase your understanding of how people from other cultures may differ from you, particularly when it comes to communicating and handling conflict.
 
Once you're ready (you can take the self-assessment included in the book to make sure), Winters gives detailed instructions on exactly how to structure these conversations. She emphasizes that this is a process, not a destination—you may not be able to resolve major issues nicely and neatly in just one conversation. And while the process is important, so is intent. She urges readers to “come from your heart, learn from your mistakes, and continue to contribute to making this a more inclusive world for all.”
UPCOMING SUBCOMMITTEES
Be patient with us! We are still 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 send an email to 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
  • Exit Interviews
  • Wellness
WELLNESS RESOURCES
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!

Check out this link for more information:
LOCAL EVENTS
JOIN OUR COMMUNITY
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.
July Dates to Note
Other important dates can be found on the
French-American Heritage Month
July 4 - Independence Day
July 4 - Filipino-American Friendship Day
July 26 - Americans with Disabilities Act Signed - "Disability Independence Day"
Dates to Note is a compilation intended to include, but is not all-inclusive, notable information from the internet, Diversity Best Practices, 2022 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