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On May 25, 2020, the murder of George Floyd appeared on our video screens with shocking violence. While the reality of racism in our country was not new, the trauma and injustice that Black people in this country experience every day was seen more clearly. It is unfortunate it took so long for many of us to reach this clarity, but we are steadfast in it now.

Over the past year, this heightened awareness has galvanized us at UW Medicine. We acknowledge the harm that racism has caused in our classrooms, hospitals, clinics and research labs, and we are committed to addressing it with greater urgency and coordination. We launched the Office of Healthcare Equity to guide this work, and we have already implemented training programs, caucuses and tools for achieving our goals for equity, diversity, inclusion and justice more quickly.

Our response to George Floyd’s murder is part of the broader effort at the University of Washington to create a more equitable and inclusive world. As President Ana Mari Cauce stated in her blog, it’s a good start, but there is much more to do. Let each of us make this sad anniversary a time to reflect on how we can be better champions for racial justice in our personal lives and as members of the UW Medicine community.

Sincerely,

Paul G. Ramsey, M.D.
CEO, UW Medicine
Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs and
Dean of the School of Medicine,
University of Washington

Paula L. Houston, Ed.D.
Chief Equity Officer
Office of Healthcare Equity, UW Medicine
Associate Vice President for Medical Affairs
University of Washington