Our continued commitment to equity and justice
A message to our community from LMH Health President & CEO Russ Johnson
The murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd have sparked activism and demonstrations across our country and in our community. I don’t know how anyone is not horrified by these incidents. My own horror turned to heartbreak and determination to do my part in ending racism. These reactions and emotions are not about single, tragic events. This is about broader systemic racism across our country. That’s hard to say and hard to own, but it is the truth.
The civil rights movement isn’t a piece of history; it’s the movement we are witnessing today. It is a continued commitment to equity, justice and fairness for everyone. The face of the protests are like none we’ve seen before. They include diverse crowds of race, age and gender. As an organization composed of 1,800 employees and with a mission to work for health equity and to provide care and services for all, regardless of race, or physical, social or financial condition, it is also our movement.
Our abiding commitment
Our mission as an organization clearly signals that this is our work, and we will run to the roar. LMH Health was founded nearly 100 years ago upon the commitment to provide access for all. It is our foundation, yet we have not fully realized this purpose. We have made progress, but there is still a long way to go.
LMH Health will support and be part of this movement through work in health equity and by learning about and improving issues of social justice and inequity. We will strengthen our dedication and efforts to increasing diversity and inclusion, in both leadership and as a workforce.
We recognize that we must continue this important work in order to have a meaningful impact on patients and our community. By investing in our Inclusion, Diversity and Equity strategic plan and working with our internal IDE team and our Community Advisory Council, we will deepen our commitment to understanding and learning and to being part of a broader conversation. We are committed to educating our staff about systemic racism, the challenges marginalized and underserved communities face and the implicit biases we all carry with us. We will work with our internal IDE team and physician leadership and to accelerate our strategic plan and take action.
We acknowledge that this work may be uncomfortable and challenging, but we are committed to it. We will work with our colleagues and listen to as many voices as possible. And while we know we may not get it right every time, we will do our very best to create meaningful change.
The work of social change starts with each other. Let’s commit to being kind and patient, to being empathetic, to listening even in the midst of our differences, and to reaching out to our friends, neighbors and colleagues.
We commit to putting our patients first and to being a champion for health equity and social justice.
