NPs Against Racism
Since the murder of George Floyd two weeks ago, we have all been witness to the unrest that has ensued. For generations, anti-Black racism has plagued our communities, unjustly criminalizing and further marginalizing black people. The Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario is committed to the values of Black Lives Matter. This is the time for change, a time for all of us to reflect on our lives and actions and learn how to grow and evolve.
The Board of Directors and Staff share in the pain and heartbreak felt by our colleagues and communities. As your professional voice, we want to be a place where our members feel safe enough to come to us with concerns and feel respected by our team of volunteers and staff.
We will not tolerate any perceived forms of racism or discrimination and strive to make our services and platforms inclusive and welcoming. We will speak up in our communities to ensure the racism and violence ends and stand with our colleagues who have themselves experienced racism.
Professionally, Nurse Practitioners need to stand up against and confront the racism and inequities we observe in the healthcare system and in the often-marginalized communities in which we provide care. Nurse Practitioners know the power of health equity and equity across
the social determinants of health. We remain committed to providing the highest quality to care to our most disadvantaged, through a strong voice, through our advocacy and through the power of
many.
We stand in solidarity with you.
Moving forward, NPAO is working on ways to share how Nurse Practitioners are breaking down barriers. We need to learn from each other, respectful of backgrounds and stories, and we need to share ways that we can learn and grow from the terrible situation we currently find ourselves in. If you’re interested in taking part in this grassroots initiative, please feel free to reach out to us on Facebook, or by email.
Please use the hashtag #NPsAgainstRacism to help us get our words and support out there.
Share your experiences. Tell us how we can do better, together.
Sincerely,
Shawn Dookie
President, NPAO
