The AAP continues to make progress toward becoming an equitable, diverse and inclusive organization, advancing racial equity and meeting the goals of its Equity Agenda Year 1 Workplan.
Recent efforts have focused on providing educational opportunities to members and staff to equip them with the knowledge and skills to address equity, diversity and inclusion, with an emphasis on addressing anti-Black racism.
‘Fighting Racism’ free course
“Fighting Racism to Advance Child Health Equity,” the Academy’s well-received Pediatrics for the 21st Century session at the 2020 National Conference & Exhibition, is free to members on PediaLink at http://bit.ly/childhealth-racism. The course offers continuing medical education and Maintenance of Certification credit.
Five 30-minute videos focus on ways to equip members to advance child health equity by applying an anti-racist lens to the systems shaping health and medicine. Tools and strategies are provided on how to use the power of their platform to address health disparities and help create the conditions that support healthier children and families. The segments and presenters include:
- “The Impact of Racism on Child and Adolescent Health,” featuring Maria E. Trent, M.D., M.P.H., FSAHM, FAAP;
- “A is for Anti-Racist: How Pediatricians Can Promote Racial Justice Through Clinical Practice,” featuring Tiffani J. Johnson, M.D., M.Sc., FAAP;
- “Disrupting Business as Usual: Building a Diverse, Inclusive and Anti-Racist Workforce,” featuring Jyothi Marbin, M.D., FAAP;
- “Pandemics + Policing + Protest: On Racism, Child Health and the Urgency to Act,” featuring Rhea W. Boyd, M.D., M.P.H., FAAP; and
- Question and answer session.
Organizational and staff initiatives
A number of AAP internal and staff-related efforts are underway.
- The AAP has partnered with CommonHealth ACTION to map, manage, measure and master changes necessary to institutionalize equity, diversity and inclusion. This firm will help the AAP develop an internal roadmap to guide cultural and institutional changes through practical application of training and resources.
- Carrington and Carrington, one of the premier Black-owned executive search firms in the country, has been engaged to assist the AAP in expanding its ability to identify, attract and hire more diverse talent for AAP staff management and leadership positions.
- The AAP staff Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Council continues to provide ongoing educational opportunities, including a recent presentation title “Medical Practice and the History of Misogynoir in the United States,” led by Brittany M.M. Hutchinson, M.A., assistant curator, Chicago History Museum.
- The AAP also launched its first Employee Resource Group. Black Lives Advancing AAP Towards eQuity (B.L.A.A.Q) serves as a supportive resource for the personal and professional growth of Black staff at the AAP.
Coming soon
The Board Committee on Equity is developing guidance that will address the use of anti-biased, inclusive language in AAP content. Called Words Matter, the guidance will address gender, gender identity and sexual orientation; race and ethnicity; disability; as well as provide other more general considerations.
