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Conclusion

The workshop concluded with a short keynote address by Roundtable member Dr. Camara Jones and final words from Roundtable chair Dr. Cato Laurencin.

TIME OF HOPE, TIME OF DANGER

Dr. Jones shared her view that this is a time of progress and backlash, hope and danger. Most states have had at least one jurisdiction that has acknowledged racism is a public health crisis, starting with Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Many did so after May 2020 to the point that there are 230 formal declarations in 41 states, 15 of which cover an entire state. At the same time, however, bans on critical race theory are also increasing.

“We need to confront racism denial in this nation,” Dr. Jones continued, moving from race to racism to a move to action.” Those who favor the status quo do so because it has worked for them, she observed. Those who value social justice recognize that racism saps the strength of society. Dr. Jones urged moving from documenting the effects of racism to intervention research. “We have been studying the history of racism for a while,” she commented. “We know the penicillin. We need to recognize it is not a 3- to 5-year fix, but invest in opportunity structures, measure impacts, and await perhaps a generation.”

This means it is intergenerational action, she stressed, and that “we are planting an acorn for our grandchildren.” As in a relay race, there are

batons—buckets of batons, she stressed—to pass on to others. She noted the dilemma about whether to prioritize building opportunity structures or focusing on values. Her opinion, she shared, “is we must address opportunity structures first, as that constrains what we can experience in the fullness of our genius. But we must address values. We cannot change everyone’s minds now, but we must interrupt the intergenerational transmission of racism denial.”

Dr. Jones closed with what she called “four BCs to become a social just warrior”:

• Be courageous—speak truth, be unafraid of controversy, embrace challenge, know that the edge of your comfort is your growing edge.
• Be curious—ask why repeatedly, read widely, travel, learn more than one language.
• Be collective—care about the whole, share, organize to achieve collective power.
• Build community—be interested and join in the stories of others, talk to strangers, build opportunities, experience common humanity in different circumstances, speak up and take action, go across town and stay a while.

CLOSING REMARKS

Dr. Laurencin thanked Dr. Jones for “putting the exclamation point” on the meeting, and all the presenters, action groups, and workshop co-chairs. To consider how the Roundtable can contribute, “We have much to do. We have to discuss and be active in interventions to make change occur. Racism has been around. It will not end in one generation, but we will do our part.”