Our country is in a pivotal moment. Against the backdrop of a pandemic that has disproportionately impacted communities of color at staggering rates, tens of thousands of Americans in all fifty states are protesting to demand an end to racial injustice and police brutality. We can no longer turn away from the reality of racism and racial inequality in America.
Racial health disparities have been magnified dramatically by the COVID-19 crisis. In the Boston area, where Quality Interactions is based, we see that the hardest-hit communities are ones of color, where social distancing is a luxury not available to most residents. The epidemic is disproportionately affecting our most vulnerable populations, while also widening the gaps in preexisting health disparities. One of the most shocking amplifications of this is in maternal healthcare.
Unconscious (or implicit) bias training is in the spotlight. From the #MeToo movement to the chorus of outrage over the unwarranted arrests of two black men at a Starbucks, companies are facing increasing public pressure to address the roots of discriminatory treatment. But questions remain over whether bias training is an effective course of action, versus a perfunctory act taken to avoid bad press.
