Welcome: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
....explore below!
The Department of Radiation Oncology fully embraces the values of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in all aspects of its three-part mission of excellence in patient care, basic and translational research, and the education of residents and students. Our advocacy for these values takes many forms across the landscape of our department. At its foundation is the investment of our leadership, faculty, trainees and staff in programs and initiatives that strive to promote cultural humility and facilitate equity. In the following pages, we highlight some of the resources and programs through which we commit to furthering DEI. These pages contain educational resources on topics pertinent to diversity and inclusion, as well as a guide to communities and advocacy groups within Radiation Oncology and Penn Medicine. We invite you to visit the site regularly, as we continue to update resources, add information on ongoing initiatives, and expand educational material.
We would like to invite you to engage with our local community through a Civic Engagement Project- a joint effort presented by the DEI and Wellness committees. We are partnering with UC Green, a non-profit that originated here at Penn. We are organizing volunteers for their signature activity- tree planting!
The event is on Saturday, April 23rd from approximately 10am to 2pm. Teams would meet up at the campus at Malcolm X park 5100 Pine Street, Philadelphia, PA; Organized into groups of five and assigned a group leader who will guide the process. We highly encourage your participation! It would be great to get our hands dirty with friends and colleagues to help our local community in the process.
If you are interested, please register here
Penn Medicine provide free Continuing Education training and courses in LGBTQ Patient Centered Care; download PDF Brochure or JPG Brochure for details and links.
Jobs for your Future
"Jobs for your Future" (Diversity jobs in Radiation Oncology) is a video starring many key players in our Department of Radiation Oncology. It is a resource geared towards high school students to describe the numerous careers available in our field. Watch "Jobs for your Future"
June is LGBTQ pride month!
Pride Day is celebrated on June 28. The day marks the date in history when the first pride march was held in New York City in 1970.
Philadelphia is home to some of the oldest events associated with LGBTQ pride in the United States. One of those events is Pride Day, which takes place on the second weekend of June. It encourages guests to share their own stories and experiences about coming out and to help others in need. The Philly Pride Festival usually takes place from Friday to Sunday every year, and always promises a colorful scene.
PHILLY PRIDE PARADE
June 5th at 12pm
Notable LGBTQ+ Individuals
Let's take a moment to recognize and celebrate the amazing contributions of individuals to LGBTQ equity and inclusion... view a slideshow.
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865 as the day that slavery was effectively ended in the United States. The Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 declared the freedom of all those enslaved in the United State. However, this decree wasn’t enforced in the most western Confederate state of Texas until June 19, 1865 when Union troops arrived in its city of Galveston Bay.
Join with us in honoring this important day in United States history.
2022 JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL Join us in Germantown for 16th Annual Philadelphia Juneteenth Festival Saturday, June 18, 2022, 12pm – 5pm Celebrate and commemorate the 158th Anniversary of Juneteenth – the end of slavery in the United States
2022 JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL | Johnson House Historic Site, Inc.
May was Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
The month of May was chosen to commemorate the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States on May 7, 1843, during the beginning of the California Gold Rush. It also marks the anniversary of the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad on May 10, 1869. Most of the workers who laid the tracks that connected the frontier to the rest of the country were Chinese immigrants.
Learn more about Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
- National Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month
- Support Asian-owned Philly restaurants: Asian-Owned Restaurants to Check Out in Philadelphia
- Recommended Reading: Pen Libraries Collections Exhibits: Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
- Featured Books: Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month
Black History Month Sock Drive
Thanks to our incredible Rad Onc team members, we collected over 400 socks, 600 granola bars and many, many other food and toiletry items during the month of February 2022. Items were donated to Philly Unknown to be distributed to those in need in the Philadelphia community in March 2022.
June is LGBTQ pride month!
We have curated a series of engaging events and educational material to honor the LGBTQ+ community, including the material shown below and circulated each Thursday.
Notable LGBTQ+ Individuals
Let's take a moment to recognize and celebrate the amazing contributions of individuals to LGBTQ equity and inclusion...
Click Here
Black History Month Sock Drive
Thanks to our incredible Rad Onc team members, we collected over 400 socks, 600 granola bars and many, many other food and toiletry items during the month of February 2021. Items were donated to Philly Unknown to be distributed to those in need in the Philadelphia community on April 21, 2021.
Black History Quizzo:
Congratulations to Susan Mazzoni - winner of the Black History Month Quizzo! In recognition of her first place finish, Susan is receiving a Penn Medicine, Radiation Oncology jacket. We extend a thank you to all of the other individuals and teams who participated in this contest.
RadOnc Civic Engagement with UC Green
Civic Engagement Project- a joint effort presented by the DEI and Wellness committees. We are partnering with UC Green, a non-profit that originated here at Penn. We are organizing volunteers for their signature activity- tree planting!
The event is on Saturday, November 20th from approximately 10am to 1pm. Teams would meet up at the campus at Woodlands, organized into groups of five and assigned a group leader who will guide the process. We highly encourage your participation! It would be great to get our hands dirty with friends and colleagues to help our local community in the process
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Radiation Oncology
Radiation Oncology works in alignment with the Office of Inclusion and Diversity at Penn Medicine in pursuit of innovative and impactful initiatives that strengthen the culture of inclusion and promotion of equity in our community. In Radiation Oncology, these initiatives are led by Vice Chair for Inclusion, Diversity and Equity, Theresa Busch PhD, working in partnership with our Rad Onc Committee for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. In parallel with this committee, three subcommittees work toward goals in their individual areas of DEI focus in education and resources, messaging and patient engagement, and community outreach. We invite all who are interested to join our DEI committee. Please contact Chief of Staff, Lora Furman (Lora.Furman@Pennmedicine.upenn.edu) or Dr. Theresa Busch (theresa.busch@pennmedicine.upenn.edu) for more information.
Mission of the Radiation Oncology Committee for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI):
Radiation Oncology is committed to ensuring that inclusion, equity and diversity are embedded in the way we function as a department, from recruitment of employees, to the ongoing education and sponsorship of team members, to our interactions with patients and presence in the community. We engage our peers and colleagues in furthering an inclusive culture that values the strength of diversity, and we work to grow involvement in initiatives that support this culture at the level of our department.
Mission of the DEI Education and Resources Subcommittee:
The Radiation Oncology Subcommittee on Resources and Education for diversity, equity and inclusion was established to support and further these values within our department. With the resources that our committee develops, we seek to promote the awareness of unconscious bias and racism, advance cultural awareness, and support inclusion. We look to initiate forums and discussions for ongoing engagement on these topics.
Mission of the DEI Messaging and Patient Engagement Subcommittee:
The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee on Messaging and Patient Engagement seeks to build understanding of equity and inclusion within our Radiation Oncology patient community. We act to foster and strengthen patient support and engagement groups in Radiation Oncology, working to identify disparate needs that may affect our community of patients regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic status or other identities.
Mission of the DEI Community Outreach Subcommittee:
The Radiation Oncology Subcommittee on Community Outreach for diversity, equity and inclusion strives to bring these values into the communities where we work and live. It is our mission to identify, innovate and participate in opportunities to further an inclusive culture that extends beyond the walls of our clinics to the community at large.
Come join us!
Members of Radiation Oncology Committee for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)
| Manuj Agarwal | Dionne Graves |
| Stephen Avery | Michael LaRiviere |
| Cordelia Baffic | Courtney Misher |
| Lara Brachman-Goldstein | Fern Nibauer-Cohen |
| Theresa Busch | Neal Niznan |
| Keith Cengel | Ima Paydar |
| Ashley Cifarelli | Shenique Parham |
| Crystal Conn | Tara Ryan |
| Shalonda Clark | Tamar Smith |
| Lora Furman | Anne Thompson |
| Emily Gores | Ioannis Verginadis |