We, the residents and faculty of the Internal Medicine residency program at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell, extend our grief, our outrage, and our support, in condemning the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, David McAtee and the countless other Black lives that have been lost to racism.
The COVID-19 crisis has become "the great unequalizer" through its disproportionate burden to Black, indigenous, and people of color in New York City and across our country. It has heightened the healthcare disparities that people have endured for centuries as a result of structural racism. At this time, we now reach a crescendo of violence against our communities, in addition to violence against people engaged in peaceful protest to defend the basic human rights of all individuals, and we must not remain silent.
To our Black and Brown colleagues and students, we support you. We commit to the advancement of your opportunities within our institution and beyond. We will work to enhance the educational, clinical, and research programs available to you, fortifying these areas with the core principles of social justice. As the largest Department at Weill Cornell Medicine, we have an obligation to lead.
To our Black and Brown patients, we renew our commitment to provide you with the highest quality dignified care that you deserve. We recognize that discrimination in health care may have impacted you or your family. We commit to naming and fighting racism when we see it, and we will not tolerate it.
To our Black and Brown communities in New York City and the greater metropolitan area whom we serve, we recognize our duty to promote your wellbeing. We acknowledge and condemn the structural racism that has created disparities in health, safety, and freedom. We will fight to eliminate these disparities to improve health outcomes for our Black and brown communities, and we will stand with you in the struggle for justice.
In the coming days and weeks, we will be building collaborations with our colleagues and other allies across our institution to explore strategies that promote equity within our department and NewYork-Presbyterian as a whole. We commit to expansion of community partnerships, advocacy for social policies that promote justice, and continued efforts to increase diversity and inclusion in our workforce.
In this moment, we grieve profoundly for the loss of human life. We make our commitments in the name of those no longer here with us. We remember you, and we fight for you.
— Internal Medicine Housestaff, Minority Housestaff Committee, Dr. Anthony Hollenberg, Dr. Susana Morales, Dr. Kirana Gudi, and the faculty of the Department of Medicine Internal Medicine Residency Program
