Systemic racism is
ingrained in our culture.
The Black Lives Matter
movement isn't about
African Americans
deserving more than
other people. We deserve
the same things everyone
else does while not being
judged based solely on
the color of our skin.
Throughout my surgi-
cal career, I've had to
develop learned behav-
iors to ensure I have the
opportunity to excel as a
leader. I see the way
some colleagues interact
differently with me than
they do with others. I've
been intentionally left out of meetings or been withheld information
that causes me to look bad among my peers. I've been excluded from
planning and managing important projects that directly impact my
department. That's happened several times.
I've been conditioned to tone down some of my passion, so I'm not
viewed as overbearing or refusing to fit in with my coworkers. It's
impossible to truly explain how that feels to someone who doesn't
live it. It's demoralizing and exhausting.
People who treat all races with dignity and respect are decent
human beings, but that doesn't mean they stand up for minorities who
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