by Tyler K. Smith, MD, MPH
Fall greetings from the Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion! During the month of November, we celebrate and honor Native American Heritage Month, El Día de Los Muertos, and Veteran’s Day. The committee initially formed and organized as a task force during the Summer of 2020 with the first meetings to create action steps for goals, initiatives and programs about diversity, equity, and inclusion for the Kansas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (KAAP). With tragic events over the past several months including the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, and Walter Wallace Junior to name a few of unfortunately many, protests ignited throughout the country and world about racial and social injustice with the KAAP Executive Board understanding that there was no temporary solution for these ongoing concerns. In recognizing that it was imperative to address these and similar issues not only for chapter membership, but for the children and families we medically serve and advocate for, the KAAP Executive Board voted for the task force to become a standing, chapter committee with the first meeting held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.
The committee is actively engaged in creating vision and mission statements, goals, objectives, and initiatives to provide education and training for chapter members, children, and families about diversity, equity, and inclusion. Robust discussions created a list of topics and speakers for continuing medical education (CME) webinars. Potential topics include ability levels and needs, implicit bias, indigenous communities, health care for LGBTQIA+ populations, and microaggressions. Save the date for the first webinar scheduled for Wednesday, December 9, 2020 titled Identity and Its Role in the Workplace presented by Rachel McCommon, M.A.Ed. Please click here registration for more information and encourage colleagues to attend with free CME available. Thank you to committee members for their time, efforts, and energies thus far in advancing and continuing this work. Committee members include:
- Lillian Blue, MD
- Lisa Castro, MD
- Sonder Crane, MD
- Jamesia Donato, MD
- Dena Hubbard, MD
- Zuri Hudson, DO, MBA
- Trevena Moore, MD
- Tiffany Simpson, MD
If interested in participating on the committee, please contact KAAP Executive Director, Ms. Mel Hudelson at mel.hudelson@kansasaap.org. Please visit our webpage for educational resources and continued learning about diversity, equity and inclusion including the AAP policy statement, The Impact of Racism on Child and Adolescent Health.
In empowerment and unity,
Kelly Kreisler, MD
Tyler K. Smith, MD, MPH
Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Co-Chairpersons