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
August is a busy month as we start thinking about the fall and cooler weather. There are many special dates in August, but we have chosen to concentrate on August 9th and the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People. The day was first recognized by the UN in 1994 as it marks the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations which occurred in 1982. This day is meant to raise awareness of the needs of this population and recognize their identity, their way of life, and their languages and to protect their rights to their traditional territories. There are approximately 476 million indigenous people in the world from 90 different countries accounting for less than 5% of the population but making up 15% of the poorest. Some facts (from un.org)

  • 47% of all indigenous people who are employed have no education compared to 17% of the non-indigenous populations; of note, this gap is wider when considering just women.
  • Over 86% of indigenous people work in the informal economy as compared to 66% of the non-indigenous people.
  • Indigenous populations are three times more likely to live in extreme poverty.
  • Indigenous languages are in danger of disappearing as they are not taught in schools nor used in the public sector.
 
We have a lot to learn about our indigenous populations and a lot to protect. 

Other dates to have on your August calendar:

  • 4th Barack Obama’s birthday – the first African American U.S. President
  • 9th International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
  • 15th Feast of the Assumption – a Roman Catholic holiday and feast that commemorates the Holy Mary’s assent to heaven
  • 18th Birth of Lord Krishna one of the most significant deities of the Hindu faith.
  • 24th Birth of Marlee Matlin the only hearing-impaired actor to win an Oscar for Best Actor or Actress
  • 26th Woman’s Equity Day
  • 30th The start of the New Year for the Muslim faith, Al-Hijri
  • 31st Birth of Ganesha – and the start of Ganesh Chatarthi, a 10-day festival celebrating the birth of this elephant headed god of prosperity and wealth – in other readings he is the god of new beginnings and fresh starts – both sound pretty good.
UPCOMING DIVERSITY TOWN HALL
School of Medicine DEI Climate Survey Results

Date: Thursday, August 4, 2022
Time: 12:00pm – 1:00p

Zoom Info:
Meeting ID: 980 2055 2152
Passcode: 076660
SPOTLIGHT

225 Years of Tar Heels: Joseph Bell
 
Joseph Bell graduated from UNC Chapel-Hill’s School of Medicine in 1986, becoming the first Lumbee pediatrician and the first Native American pediatrician in the state. Information about him


ARTICLE OF THE MONTH
DEI in 2022: Key Trends and Findings

Now, more than ever, organizations are beginning to recognize the urgency of advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). While many companies made racial justice commitments in the summer of 2020, few have made meaningful progress beyond hiring some DEI staff and making small investments in programming. The urgency has never been greater: the workforce of the future is more diverse than ever, and Gen Z is heavily prioritizing company values in their employment decisions.

So the question becomes: what should companies be doing to accomplish more effective and measurable change? While the challenges to building a representative workforce and an equitable culture are complex, they are not insurmountable. Culture Amp’s latest research shows that while many companies are making commitments, they’re often not collecting data on these issues, strategically investing in programming that actually moves the needle, or holding their leaders accountable for change.

In this article, we lay out the key trends in the DEI space and share where companies should be investing to drive true, structural change. Read Full Article Here
RECOMMENDED READS
By Rhodes Perry, MPA
 
“It’s virtually impossible to be successful in one’s work in any kind of group – be it a corporation, a deep-sea fishing crew, or a rock and roll band – without feeling a sense of belonging. Most of us have had the experience of working where we didn’t really fit in, and sure, we can pull in that paycheck for a while, make do, hang in there, but how long do those jobs ever last, especially if we want to be honest with ourselves or have a healthy work-life balance? It’s easy to say, 'No job is ever perfect. You’re not supposed to like it; that’s why they call it work!' But why settle for barely adequate productivity, creativity, or new hire return on investment when you can harness the synergy of belonging? Leaders and aspiring leaders who want to succeed should look to Rhodes Perry for inspiration and guidance. Belonging at Work really does matter” - Jamison Green, Ph.D., Author, Educator, Community Leader, and Corporate Executive

Belonging at Work empowers business leaders, change agents, visionaries, and those on their way to joining them with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to build inclusive organizations. The personal stories, case studies, and practical strategies featured in the book offer everything you need to cultivate workplace cultures where all of your stakeholders can show up authentically and feel valued and respected for their contributions. Rhodes Perry’s visionary book serves as a blueprint for the future of work. His message inspires leaders at all levels within the organization to join the #BelongingMovement focused on positively impacting workplace cultures around the globe.

Belonging at Work helps you understand:

  • What it means to belong.
  • Why belonging matters to the future of work.
  • How leaders can positively impact workplace culture.
  • Where to find concrete strategies and connect with culture change thought leaders.
  • Strategies to hold yourself accountable to be the change you want to see in the workplace.
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
  • 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.
August Dates to Note
Other important dates can be found on the
National Civility Month
August 9 - International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
August 12 - International Youth Day
August 19 - World Humanitarian Day
August 26 - Women’s Equality Day
August 31 - International Day of People of African Descent
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