Dear Friends of United Hospital Fund,
Words cannot describe the feelings of rage, pain, and sadness that many of us feel. It is not only George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Chris Cooper, or the Black and Brown neighborhoods ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is impossible to ignore the pervasive racism in this country. It is omnipresent—a core part of our history, institutional structures, and social systems. And yes, though as a physician, it’s hard to admit it—if we look inside, it is intertwined in our country’s health care system as well, which so often fails the same communities that need it the most.
How do we move forward? We stand with others to condemn racism and injustice, but this is not enough. We must use the tools and skills available to each of us to right the wrongs. At United Hospital Fund, we’ve been on a journey, both acknowledging our own shortcomings past and present, as well as planning for the future so that we can best use our resources to fight racism and promote equity in health and health care.
We look forward to working with all of you, in our shared humanity, toward an equitable and just society.
Sincerely,
Anthony Shih, MD, MPH
President
United Hospital Fund