Statement from ISEMPH President on Racial Equity (June 11, 2020)
It is impossible to fully express our sorrow and anger at the death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and countless others before them, who have been murdered, injured, or harassed due to the color of their skin.
Racism and racial inequalities are ingrained in society and as scholars, educators, clinicians and students, we have a responsibility to make the world more equitable and just. The mission of the International Society for Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health is to foster communication among scientists, students, clinicians and public health professionals to use evolutionary insights to improve medical research and practice, and to use studies of human health and disease to advance evolutionary biology. The Members of the Society’s Council and I call for these fields to collaboratively recognize and acknowledge the role of racism, both historically and in current research and clinical practice, in undermining public health goals and to shift the discourse and agenda of public health, healthcare systems and scientific research to more actively engage in racial justice efforts.
We hope you will join ISEMPH as we commit to:
Much work remains to be done as individuals, as a society, and as a community. By working together, we can help make the world truly equitable for all.
Sincerely,
Barbara N. Horowitz, MD
ISEMPH President