Changing the conversation on racism and injustice

Today, MD Anderson came together for a virtual town hall to reflect on our feelings after witnessing days of protest, calls for change and radical violence following the senseless killing of one of our own, Houstonian George Floyd.

George Floyd’s story is a reflection of the countless examples of injustice, where the powers of police brutality overshadowed an individual’s rights. His story exposes the deep scar of racial inequality that continues to oppress the rightful dreams, aspirations and freedoms of far too many people in our country. This includes those we hold near and dear to us -- our friends, our neighbors, our patients, our family and many of our colleagues. 

I am grateful for our employees who have reached out to me this week sharing their own stories of hardship, fear and pain that stem from these realities. And I am thankful for every individual who is speaking up, and for those who are safely and peacefully marching together in our city and across our country. These actions bring us closer to the change we are seeking.

Speaking up for justice

Voicing concern through protest is a constitutional right that is a hallmark of our democracy – and a right that is not always granted in other parts the world. It is a right that must be preserved in a peaceful way so that feelings of anger and sadness can be channeled into open dialogue and effective action. In Houston, it is being done in unity as our police officers protect and march alongside our protesters.

These protests continue to expose and call out the realities of today. They call out the police brutality and hate that divides our country. They call out the patterns of institutional racism seen across our criminal justice system. And they call out the systemic racism that has undeniably weakened our society.

The debilitating impact of systemic racism

Working in health care, many of us have seen the merciless and heavy hand of inequality and systemic racism on access to services and outcomes in cancer and other public health issues. We see a disproportionate gap with the Black community where cancer incidence and mortality rates as well as heart disease rates far exceed other populations in our country.

COVID-19 also exposed the consequences of racism. We see higher rates of COVID-19 transmission and deaths in our Black and Hispanic communities, and a disproportionate number of minorities are struggling with its economic impact. And we can’t ignore the rhetoric and racialization against our Asian community, provoking harmful biases and mistreatment.

This incommensurate impact is linked to systemic issues that cause overwhelming disparities in housing, health care, education and economic security. Some populations have faced them for generations. And the result has been debilitating across communities. I know how heart-wrenching it is for many of us to see as we care for patients how the course of a person’s health can be traced back to their zip code, their race, their gender or their circumstance.

I know how heart-wrenching it is for many of us to see as we care for patients how the course of a person’s health can be traced back to their zip code, their race, their gender or their circumstance.

An equal right to safety, dignity, respect and a chance to pursue happiness

The inequalities we see cause us heartache and anguish. We feel this for George Floyd and his family. And we are heartbroken again thinking about the innocent individuals that came before George Floyd, of all races and creeds, who deserved a life every person in this country deserves – a life of safety, dignity and respect and an equal chance to pursue happiness. Yet, their basic rights were taken away, not by their own actions, but by the systemic and individual racism that found them. This racial injustice goes against every fiber of our democracy.

The trajectory of our country demands a full response from all of us. Justice and equality in all its forms are human rights that should be afforded to everyone regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, disability or creed, not just to a privileged and select few. We are better than this. And we have to do more, together.

Justice and equality in all its forms are human rights that should be afforded to everyone regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, disability or creed, not just to a privileged and select few. 

Healing and bringing change to MD Anderson and our community

Our leadership team has had thoughtful discussions about how we can begin to heal while working to create meaningful change in our institution and our community. We believe it first starts with enhancing our commitments to our employees, ensuring that MD Anderson is a place where all of our teammates feel safe to work, safe to speak up and safe to be themselves. 

Our teammates deserve to come to a workplace free of harm in all forms. Whether it’s safety, security, physical and emotional health, we want to ensure they have the resources needed to feel protected. We have stood by this commitment through tremendous change, such as storms and our response to COVID-19. And we stand by this commitment today.

Our teammates deserve to come to a workplace where they feel safe to speak up. Organizational safety is amplified when we all feel comfortable holding each other accountable. We are committed to a workplace where integrity and openness restrain unjust practices or unethical conduct. This involves our current and future managers and leaders standing by our model of servant leadership. And this involves building trust through a spirit of transparency and communication. With that trust, we strengthen our resiliency as a team.

Our teammates deserve to come to a workplace where they feel safe to be themselves. We are so fortunate to have such a diverse community in our great city and also at MD Anderson. Diversity is the greatest strength of humanity, and is the reason our institution thrives. Our differences offer limitless opportunities to build understanding and broaden our views of the world. I have said it before – diversity is a fact, and inclusion is an act.

By continuing to foster and celebrate diversity and inclusion across all levels of our organization, we can build a welcoming workplace, and enhance our capacity to work with one another with mutual respect.

Reflecting on our own and with others

I hope the events of this week offer all of us the opportunity for honest self-reflection. It is important to take the time to reflect on how our backgrounds, our inherent ideas and choices may shape our views and behaviors towards others – whether it is positive or negative, whether it is our family, our friends, our neighbors, our patients or our colleagues. Using self-awareness to challenge our personal views, and practicing empathy and compassion can go a long way in our ability to come together as humanity. 

By committing to this over the course of our lives, we can, together, rebuild a society that respects and values all people equally, now and generations beyond our time – a society where every person feels secure in their right to safety, dignity and respect and the chance to pursue happiness. And by listening and learning from one another and working as one, we can each do our part to bring meaningful change to our institution and our community, while restoring the virtuous principles of our democracy.