To live up to our school’s guiding value that health is a human right, we have a responsibility to expose and dismantle racism’s influence wherever it is found, including within our own school.

In 2020, we began drafting a strategic plan to fundamentally change our school’s culture, perspectives, intentions, and actions. In May, George Floyd’s murder spurred a summer of civil unrest and we knew to was time for a profound change in our school. We accelerated our plan’s timeline and committed SPH to actively make diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and antiracism central to our operations and mission. The result is our Strategic Plan for Antiracism.

Get Involved

Everyone at SPH is being called on to play an active role in achieving the change we seek.

Here are some ways to get involved (not an exhaustive list):

• People in some areas of the school have very specific actions to take, as described in the plan.
• For many members of the SPH community, committing to the plan, working to create a welcoming environment, and recognizing and challenging racism are essential ways to get involved.
  • Committing to the plan includes making time to read and understand it, asking questions when necessary, deciding to support its goals, and reflecting on how to advance the goals in your area. You can reach out to the lead stewards of each area for questions.
  • Creating a welcoming environment includes spending time learning about and reflecting on racism and how it operates in your own life. This will help you consider what changes you need to make personally. You can also advocate for equitable policies and decisions at SPH.
  • Challenging racism includes accepting that racism exists and to challenge it when we see it. Ways to recognize and challenge racism include:
    • Ask a colleague or student to clarify a statement that came across as discriminatory.
    • Report incidents of bias.
    • Make sure your syllabus includes authors of color and from Indigenous communities.
    • Allow students and team members the space, time, and flexibility to process racist events.
• Additional ways to get involved include (again, not an exhaustive list):
  • Engage in (and give team members time to engage in) DEI events and training opportunities.
  • Participate in DEI groups and committees.
  • Learn about DEI-related topics by reading, listening to podcasts, watching films and documentaries, having conversations, and digging into other resources.
  • Coordinate inclusive events.
  • Talk about the plan and antiracism at meetings and events, and with colleagues.
  • Examine your words and actions through an antiracism lens.

Progress

Strategic Plan

• SPH climate assessment report (prepared in October 2020)
• Climate assessment: overview results (presented at October 2020 SPH Community Forum)
• Annual progress updates will occur when the strategic plan is implemented in 2021.