Confronting anti-Black racism - reflection by Lorraine Thomas

"Each of us bears a responsibility to confront racism and discrimination wherever it persists. The Roadmap to Confront Anti-Black Racism is an integral part of the larger collective journey to build a more equitable and inclusive Holland Bloorview. While this  Roadmap was crafted around the needs of Black employees and by extension, Black clients and families, students and researchers, the lessons learned from its’ implementation can be carried over into other initiatives that seek to address anti-racism and health inequities, while continuing to address the unique needs of that population.

Any anti-racism strategy we undertake needs to be continuous and represent the evolving needs of staff at Holland Bloorview.  Executive leadership must respond effectively to the changing realities and recognize the unique challenges of staff who experience marginality, whether it be through race, religion, perceived country of origin, given identities and ethnicity, to name a few. While structural changes like new policies and practices serve to visibly signal change, they must also be implemented by leadership at the program level to move beyond symbolic gestures.

As manager, IDEAA, I hope to see that the concepts of inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility and anti-racism can be seamlessly embedded in our healthcare work, and become everyday practice as opposed to an add-on." - Lorraine Thomas, manager, inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility and anti-Racism (IDEAA)