A message from the Black Medical Association: Peaceful Virtual Protest

To the Michigan Medicine community,

We call on you 
To our instructors, mentors, and administrators 
We call on you to stand with us
We call on you to feel our frustration and fear
We call on you to see our truths and tiredness

To the ones we shadow in clinic; those who teach us how to scrub in; those who help us when we are lost
We call on you to stand with us 
We call on you to feel our pain 

We call on you, the educated and loud, to break the silence; to challenge the system; to change the system 

To our friends; those we dance and act with on stage; those we sit across from at happy-hour; those we study with 
We call on you to stand with us 
We call on you to make your voices heard
We call on you to make our voices heard 

We call on you, healers and healers in training, to advocate for a better future 
To the Leaders, Victors, and Best
To Michigan 
We call on you

We call on you because, once again, our fears, frustrations and truths have come into the purview of society. Our realities and grievances have been put on full, undeniable display. The ravages of COVID-19 on the Black community are a consequence of a deeper racial inequality within our society. The unjust lynchings and brutality toward the Black community are the consequence of relentless institutional oppression from a system that was not built to see us. 

This, of course, is nothing new. This oppression has long been a part of America’s history and is the foundation of the structures and institutes we follow. 

Your Black colleagues, students, mentees, and loved-ones, carry the omnipresent fear and mental burden of not being seen as fully human. We walk the halls of Taubman always ensuring that our ID badges are in plain sight, to reassure both you, and ourselves, that we belong. We avoid wearing hoodies and freeze at security checkpoints in fear of being wrongfully questioned or accused. We don our white coats and uniforms; our tight neck-ties and high heels — no matter the temperature, no matter the pavement — simply to remind our patients, and the world, that we belong.

This is why we call on you — to break the silence and to bring a change. We call on you to stand with us; to finally see us; to finally hear us; to finally walk with us. 

With respect to all that is going on, the Black Medical Association (BMA) will be holding a peaceful virtual protest on Friday, June 5 at 10 a.m.

We invite you, our leaders, victors and best; our Michigan family, to join us, show your support and advocate for change. We must commemorate the lives lost: George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade and so many more. 

What: Peaceful Virtual Protest 

When: Friday, June 5th, 2020; 10 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Where: Zoom (Meeting ID: 987 6290 8441; Password: 789783)

How: BMA will host the Zoom protest. During this protest, we will have a reflection on the events that have transpired and invite persons to share their experiences dealing with racism here at Michigan Medicine. There are three asks of you:

• Please take a paper and marker and create a sign with the names of either George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, Tony McDade, or any other person who was wrongfully killed due to systemic racism. Alternatively, you can write down ‘#WhiteCoatsForBlackLives’ or your named profession ForBlackLives (i.e. #NursesForBlackLives).
• To show your solidarity, we ask that you upload a photo of you and your sign to this google form in advance. These photos will then be compiled with the others. Please feel free to upload your photo here whether or not you attend the virtual protest. These photos will then be used to show Michigan Medicine’s solidarity via U-M’s media outlets.
• Please be mindful that this is a reflective space where we hope to listen in solidarity and think about those we’ve lost, the issues that face us, and how to move forward.

In solidarity, peace, and love,
The Black Medical Association