North Dakota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
The professional association for North Dakota Pediatricians and the state chapter for the national American Academy of Pediatrics​
NDAAP Letter on Racism
Dear Community Partners,
As we have all witnessed images of violence and the intensity of on-going protests and social unrest, we are reminded of how all of us are impacted by systemic racism and those of us consciously or unconsciously perpetrating or privileged by it suffer from living in our unequal society. The American Academy of Pediatrics Policy Statement on the Impact of Racism on Child and Adolescent Health discusses how “ racism is a social determinant of health that has a profound impact on the health status of children, adolescents, emerging adults, and their families”… and that the “evidence to support the continued negative impact of racism on health and well-being through implicit and explicit biases, institutional structures, and interpersonal relationships is clear.” We know that racial discrimination is associated with poor health outcomes affecting an individuals’ experience with the the educational system, juvenile justice system, healthcare system, and employment and affects infant mortality and life expectancy, but also that we all have a role to play in correcting this injustice.
As a pediatrician, health and wellness expert, and as member of our greater healthcare community, what we know is that racism causes disease in our communities. Studies have shown that decisions we make as doctors, teachers, employers and police are often shaded by biases that we often don’t know we have. And what we have learned about bias is that once we learn what our biases are, we are able to better control for them and not allow them to affect our decisions as much. We also know that children’s exposure to racism, witnessed or experienced, affects their physical and mental health across their lifespan.
As a black woman, a mother, and a pediatrician, I have no tolerance for anything that would place my or any other child at an unfair disadvantage and neither should you. It is our responsibility, as the protectors of our children, to create safe and just communities where all our children feel safe, cared for, and valued. It is our job to join hands with each other and have uncomfortable conversations. If we strive for equity: as pediatricians, parents, community members, we can educate ourselves about race, reflect and consider our own conscious and unconscious biases, talk to our children, get involved in our communities, and choose to teach our children how to fill their hearts with love and openness, not hate and judgment. I imagine a future for my children (the ones that I have at home, the ones that I care for in my practice, and the ones that live alongside in my community) rich with opportunities where their worth be valued equally to that of their peers from other backgrounds. I hope that you all join me in making this a reality.
With everlasting hope,
Kathy Anderson, MD, FAAP
President, North Dakota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (NDAAP)
Available Resources:
AAP Policy on Racism
AAP Statement
Traumatic Impact of Racism on Young People
Talking to Children About Racial Bias
Pediatrics: Police, Equity, and Child Health
Chicago Public Library Anti-Racist Reading List
21 Day Racial Equity Challenge
https://www.ted.com/talks/jennifer_l_eberhardt_how_racial_bias_works_and_how_to_disrupt_it
https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/education.html (Implicit Association Test)
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/pediatrics/144/2/e20191765.full.pdf (The Impact of Racism on Child and Adolescent Health - AAP Policy Statement)
Dear Community Partners,
As we have all witnessed images of violence and the intensity of on-going protests and social unrest, we are reminded of how all of us are impacted by systemic racism and those of us consciously or unconsciously perpetrating or privileged by it suffer from living in our unequal society. The American Academy of Pediatrics Policy Statement on the Impact of Racism on Child and Adolescent Health discusses how “ racism is a social determinant of health that has a profound impact on the health status of children, adolescents, emerging adults, and their families”… and that the “evidence to support the continued negative impact of racism on health and well-being through implicit and explicit biases, institutional structures, and interpersonal relationships is clear.” We know that racial discrimination is associated with poor health outcomes affecting an individuals’ experience with the the educational system, juvenile justice system, healthcare system, and employment and affects infant mortality and life expectancy, but also that we all have a role to play in correcting this injustice.
As a pediatrician, health and wellness expert, and as member of our greater healthcare community, what we know is that racism causes disease in our communities. Studies have shown that decisions we make as doctors, teachers, employers and police are often shaded by biases that we often don’t know we have. And what we have learned about bias is that once we learn what our biases are, we are able to better control for them and not allow them to affect our decisions as much. We also know that children’s exposure to racism, witnessed or experienced, affects their physical and mental health across their lifespan.
As a black woman, a mother, and a pediatrician, I have no tolerance for anything that would place my or any other child at an unfair disadvantage and neither should you. It is our responsibility, as the protectors of our children, to create safe and just communities where all our children feel safe, cared for, and valued. It is our job to join hands with each other and have uncomfortable conversations. If we strive for equity: as pediatricians, parents, community members, we can educate ourselves about race, reflect and consider our own conscious and unconscious biases, talk to our children, get involved in our communities, and choose to teach our children how to fill their hearts with love and openness, not hate and judgment. I imagine a future for my children (the ones that I have at home, the ones that I care for in my practice, and the ones that live alongside in my community) rich with opportunities where their worth be valued equally to that of their peers from other backgrounds. I hope that you all join me in making this a reality.
With everlasting hope,
Kathy Anderson, MD, FAAP
President, North Dakota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (NDAAP)
Available Resources:
AAP Policy on Racism
AAP Statement
Traumatic Impact of Racism on Young People
Talking to Children About Racial Bias
Pediatrics: Police, Equity, and Child Health
Chicago Public Library Anti-Racist Reading List
21 Day Racial Equity Challenge
https://www.ted.com/talks/jennifer_l_eberhardt_how_racial_bias_works_and_how_to_disrupt_it
https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/education.html (Implicit Association Test)
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/pediatrics/144/2/e20191765.full.pdf (The Impact of Racism on Child and Adolescent Health - AAP Policy Statement)
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