Six-Part Educational Series Description: 

The root cause of health inequity in the United States is structural racism. Stark inequities in morbidity and mortality among minoritized populations have persisted for generations. This series will contextualize the historical and systemic nature of racism in America and how systemic racism impacts our health. As a concept that first emerged with European colonial expansion in the 16th century, race is woven into the fabric of American consciousness. It is insufficient and harmful to view racism as an isolated event; doing so invalidates the experiences of those afflicted by racism while perpetuating the structures and systems that uphold racism.

We are reimagining our conversations on racism and embarking on a journey—beginning with the moment of our country's inception through the country's current state. The first stop on our journey will unpack the direct link from Slavery to Mass Incarceration, highlighting the structural forces of racism—including the intersection among various demarginalized groups and the concept of Race Throughout the Americas. Our journey will then showcase the concepts behind the immoral and pseudoscientific theory of the Eugenics Movement, Genetic Determinism and Understanding the American Desire to Attribute Health Inequities to Genetics, along with the impact of Discrimination, Stress, and Allostatic Load and Understanding the Health Impacts of the Lived Experience of Racism to thriving while Black—A History of Black Businesses and a Life as an African American student at the University of Kansas. Our journey will unpack historical events through the current state to understand the history of health inequities. Through this Six-Part Educational Series, we will deconstruct and de-naturalize the idea of race for an increased understanding of the systemic nature of racism and how it impacts health.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all KU Medical Center-sponsored events. Communication Across Realtime Translation (CART) will be provided. If you require reasonable accommodations in order to participate, please contact the Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at kumcdei@kumc.edu. Please note this event will be recorded and may be posted on the KU Medical Center's social media channels.