HiYa Nursing Friends!
Some of the media hype has toned down but black lives still matter!! In lieu of a post this week, I’m investing my time and effort in examining myself and calling myself out on the part I play in the state of our nation.
Like all of you, I am outraged and unsettled by the treatment of Black Americans. My head is still spinning from the inhumanity and cruelty of the murder of George Floyd, the tragedies of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, and the treatment of Christian Cooper, along with so many—too many—others.
When other unarmed Black Americans died while in the custody of the very ones who are sworn to protect them, we failed to speak up. We — I — watched the injustice while remaining quiet and still. Enough. Now is the time to speak out, to raise our voices, and unite our efforts. Not with violence and looting which could hijack our goals, but with the values that nurses have possessed for centuries: love, joy, courage, responsibility, and trust.
I want to stand—now— with you, my fellow nurses, to find meaningful ways to use our voices, platforms, and resources to fight against injustice. I want to start making intentional investments of my time and resources to push toward corrective actions for us all.
Together we are all holding anger, sadness, and feelings of helplessness as shields. But I want to turn my helplessness, anger, and sadness into words and actions that stand for equality and love.
To the Black Americans of our nursing family, I cannot begin to feel your pain or understand your outrage but I can hear it and acknowledge it by listening and working with you toward systemic changes. I am committed to a more equal and just world where no one fears for their safety or is denied the equal rights they deserve.
Since my first step is listening, I’ve signed up for the course Race and Cultural Diversity in American Life and History by James D. Anderson at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I want to hear this. I want to know it. I need to internalize these truths if there is any hope of me—personally—making a change that could benefit others. This is my first step.
If you want to help, please let me know how else I can help. What changes I can make. I’m listening.
Join me in this first step of listening and examining ourselves.
In peace and love,
Joolz
