These are unprecedented times that we are living in. There are stresses due to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic and now this past week we are experiencing across the country protests and social unrest resulting from the horrific deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and others. AAPM wants to make clear several points in response to these events. First, the racism and injustice that disproportionately affect our communities of color are longstanding problems that we must condemn and strive collectively to address. AAPM as an organization values the importance of diversity and inclusion, which at its heart, acknowledges the value and worth of every person and all that they bring to our organization, to health care, and to our communities. Diversity and inclusion are important but alone are not sufficient to address all of the longstanding issues of concern to our members, friends, and neighbors from historically marginalized communities, but they are a start. AAPM is committed to the fair, just, and equitable treatment of all of our members and indeed all members of society so that everyone has the right to safety, respect and the opportunity to contribute.
Second, we recognize that many of our members are experiencing great duress at the current moment, whether from concerns for their health and safety due to COVID-19, or due to concerns for their physical safety in our communities, or due to the emotional strain from injustices that are so plainly in view. We encourage everyone to be particularly attentive to colleagues and members of our health care systems and AAPM community who may be experiencing particular duress and to help shoulder these burdens together.
While much work must be done to address longstanding issues of racism and injustice in our society – as well as the imminent danger from the pandemic – AAPM stands with our members and encourages us all to embrace our common humanity and work for solutions to these problems, since if one segment of our community is hurting, it adversely impacts all of us. No doubt, much hard work is ahead. But together we can accomplish far more as an organization and society than we can alone, and AAPM is firmly committed to being part of that solution.