The Illness of Racism

At Spectrum Health, our battle with COVID-19 these past months has underscored health inequities in our communities and the nation. They are part of a much larger and painful pandemic—systemic racism.

As human beings, we hear the pain, suffering and heartbreak of our black and brown colleagues, neighbors and friends. As an organization, we take seriously the need to engage in the complex, critical conversations and solutions necessary to address inequities in our country, along with all its ramifications on physical and mental health. 

I shared the message below with our teams on Friday, May 29. This is only the beginning. Racism and injustices are unacceptable. Together, we can, we must, and we will take steps toward healing.

We have all been coping with the stress of a pandemic that emerged almost overnight. Now we are experiencing another national and personal trauma, one that has been with us for far too long: systemic racism. I am deeply saddened by the tragedies most recently manifested in the deaths in Minnesota and Georgia.

Our mission is to improve health, inspire hope and save lives. We were purposeful with every one of these words. They mean that we cannot stand by when people are hurting. Our values of collaboration, compassion, curiosity and courage apply to all suffering, whether from illness, health disparities or the trauma of injustice. And right now, people in our community and within our organization are hurting.

Speaking up and supporting our colleagues and neighbors is consistent with our mission to help people with their physical and emotional health.

The feelings of deep and unrelenting pain cannot be relieved easily. Healing can begin if we feel acknowledged, understood and heard. With this in mind, on June 19th – also known as Juneteenth, the celebration of Emancipation – we will have a Day of Understanding and Listening. Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team is organizing this listening event so we can engage in dialogue and learn from each other.

Sometimes we cope with traumatic events internally and silently. There are other times where it is helpful to talk about issues and be heard.

I hear you. I have already received heartbreaking messages from some of you. As one wrote me, “We are tired. We are so tired. We are depleted. We are empty.” On June 19, all of us can engage, whether by expressing our anxieties or by listening. In this way, we can reach out to each other and, together, take steps toward healing.