Last night, I read a book of quotations attributed to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., seeking both comfort during this period of volatility in our country and inspiration to continue to press on in our shared quest of a more perfect union. I believe most of us will agree, the violence that we witnessed at the Capitol last week, is not reflective of the country that the Founders envisioned.
Dr. King devoted his life to nonviolent protests, which is not what we witnessed on January 6, 2021. The insurrection that shook many of us at our core was more than unsettling, it fundamentally rocked the stability of our democracy. This week holds great promise, as a new administration enters the highest precipice of our government and takes on the helm of the Executive Branch, with ambitious goals of addressing financial insecurity, vaccination rollout, and justice. History will also be made on the stairs of the Capitol, with the inauguration of our first woman of color as Vice President.
This is one of the few times in my life when I am actually looking forward to this inauguration. The historical moment coupled with the uncertainty that we are feeling during this time of transition drove the decision to move our Health Equity Symposium scheduled for January 20, to February 3, 2021 at noon. We hope to “see” you then to hear our guest speaker, Dr. Dorothy Roberts and learn which unit or department will be awarded the first Champions in Inclusion and Diversity Award.
In our own Penn Medicine community, we may not have the Constitution to drive change, however we do have the initiative, ACT, Action for Cultural Transformation. In the next two weeks, we will be sharing specific goals and plans for the next 6 months, to begin the process of implementation. This will be a multiyear process, which will shape our actions, building upon the work that has already been done over the years, facilitating our journey to a more inclusive community.
As promised, the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. can guide our reflections on his legacy today, what we are currently experiencing as a country, and what we anticipate as we embark on our journey with ACT.
As we consider our personal responsibility to wear a mask, remain cognizant of social distance, wash our hands, and sign up to be vaccinated:
“The time is always right to do what is right.”[1]
“All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality.”1
As we consider our journey ahead, as the roadmap for ACT unfolds:
“If we are to go forward, we must go back and rediscover those precious values—that all reality hinges on moral foundations…”1
“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”1
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, “What are you doing for others?”1
And one of my favorite quotes:
“The moral arc of the universe bends at the elbow of justice.”1
[1] . Quotations of Martin Luther King, Jr (2004) Applewood Books, Bedford, Massachusetts