MLA and individual caucuses are actively affirming their solidarity with members of the African American Medical Librarians Alliance (AAMLA) Caucus and with Black people and all People of Color, as well as other underrepresented and underserved communities who face discrimination and hate, and are subject to acts of violence or police brutality.
The members of the Medical Informatics Caucus reaffirm our commitment to inclusiveness and diversity, and to changing systems and tools in order to foster equal access and respect in our communities. As information professionals, we often work with tools and systems. As a caucus, we commit to promoting, recruiting, and retaining people from all backgrounds and cultures to work in the field of biomedical informatics. We also will continue to work toward building and advocating for tools that reflect the diversity of all humans, through improved analysis, data points, and accessibility. Through these means, we will work to continue to make positive changes to the health care system and to the health of the population. We share the outrage at the recent killings of Black people and at the longstanding chain of cruelty and systemic discrimination that allowed this to happen and has so many negative effects on individuals, communities, and humanity at large. We must not be indifferent, and we extend our hearts to those who are hurting. We have committed ourselves to working toward a change.
Nicole Capdarest-Arest, AHIP, Chair