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Edition 2June 2021Diversity, Equity &Inclusion DigestIN THIS EDITIONA Letter from Leadership. 2Tragedy in Atlanta. 3Welcome UIM Residents & Fellows. 32022 - 2023 Chief Residents. 4DEI Residency Committee. 5UNITED - UMKC.6Diversity Super Stars. 7Sister Corita Bussanmas.8Education Corner. 8-9CHiCoS Research Group.10Library Services.10What We’re Watching & Reading. 11We are stronger together.“When we listen and celebrate whatis both common and different, webecome a wiser, more inclusive, andbetter organization.”–Pat WadorsChildren’s Mercy is an equal opportunity/affirmativeaction employer and a United Way agency.Copyright 2021 The Children’s Mercy Hospital.All rights reserved.21-DIV-2195 6/21

A LETTER FROM LEADERSHIPTamorah Lewis, MD, PhDAttending Neonatologist in the ICN & Clinical/TranslationalResearcher in the Division of Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology,Toxicology & Therapeutic InnovationTo the CM Community,Welcome to another newsletter celebrating our commitment to Diversity, Equity andInclusion (DEI) and highlighting some of our recent accomplishments. As a facultymember here for seven years, I can say with certainty that we are well on our way toimprovements in anti-racism, bias reduction and surveillance for health disparities.In the past month, we had the wonderful session called “The Gifts Within Our Walls:A Conversation About the Experiences of Our Multicultural Faculty Members” and ahospital-wide vigil against anti-Asian violence in the U.S. These are two examples ofactively creating an inclusive environment for all CM employees.Some important signs of commitment and progressin the DEI space include the Faculty and TraineeDiversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee (FT-DEIC),a multi-stakeholder group that started within theDepartment of Pediatrics in 2018. This committee hasmade improvements that affect the entire trainee andfaculty body. The FT-DEIC has two subcommittees, theGender Equity Subcommittee and the Graduate MedicalEducation (GME) subcommittee, both of which havetaken on and improved difficult issues around equity.The GME subcommittee has made dedicated effortsto intentionally increase the number of racially underrepresented in medicine (UIM) trainees at CM. Aspart of this success, in 2022-2023, CM will have its firstAfrican American chief residents.CM continues to work closely with the UMKC Schoolof Medicine (SOM) to support joint DEI efforts. TheUMKC STAHR program continues to grow and supportUIM trainees at the Schools of Medicine, Nursingand Pharmacy. Many faculty from CM are part of thisprogram. Dr. Tyler Smith, as the Associate Dean ofDiversity at the SOM, continues to make improvementsin our collaborative efforts.I hope you enjoy the newsletter and learning more!Tamorah Lewis MD, PhDDEI Digest2

TRAGEDY IN ATLANTA:HEALING FOR HUMANITYBearing in mind the rise in Anti-Asian and AsianAmerican harassment and discrimination, Children’sMercy stood in solidarity and unity to fight againstthe manifestation of this devastating tragedy. Leadersfrom the Office of Equity and Diversity and otherpartners joined together for a brief service on March23, 2021, to honor those lost in the Atlanta tragedy.“We denounce violence and racism of any kind. As anorganization, we will do our part to bring awareness,understanding and action toward an equitable andcompassionate world. We must stand together toseek ways to make our voices heard and to show careand compassion to the Asian community.” –Office ofEquity and DiversityPlease visit this link to view the Children’s MercyRemembrance Service to Honor and Support ourbeloved Asian American Pacific Islander Community.WELCOME UIM RESIDENTS & FELLOWSWelcome to our new pediatric residentand pediatric subspecialty fellows, whohave matched with Children’s Mercy. Intotal, 28 new pediatric residents and over40 sub-specialty fellows will start theirtraining with us in the summer. Throughthe dedicated efforts of GME, FT-DEICand the GME Diversity Subcommittee, atotal of nine UIM trainees have matched inour programs. This includes four pediatricresidents and five subspecialty fellowscovering specialties such as hospitalmedicine, nephrology, gastroenterology,headache medicine and surgery.Why are matching UIM trainees soimportant? Because diversity in healthcare goes beyond a language barrier. Itis about understanding the mindset of apatient within the larger context of culture,gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefsand socioeconomic realities. As the U.S.population continues to diversely increase,an equally diverse workforce of medicalprofessionals is needed to address futurehealth care challenges. GME and the FTDEIC are committed to recruiting traineesand physicians who can address thesehealth care needs and challenges.DEI Digest3

CHIEF RESIDENTS 2022-2023Each year, the Children’s Mercy Pediatric Residency Program selects three residentleaders from the second year class to continue at CM for an additional year aftergraduation and serve as leaders of the residency program and hospital. What makesthis year’s decision unique and exciting is that, for the first time in the history of theprogram, two UIM trainees were selected as chief residents.Darius Blanding, MD, grew up in a smalltown in South Carolina. He graduatedwith an honors biology degree fromNorth Carolina Agricultural & TechnicalState University before completingmedical school at the University ofSouth Carolina-Greenville. He came toKansas City for the first time to interviewfor our residency program, and we areexcited that he has chosen to stay for afourth year and serve as chief resident.Throughout his residency training, Dr.Blanding has been recognized for hisfriendly demeanor and approachabilitymixed with his leadership skills that arehighlighted in medical school studentgovernment positions and work withdiversity and inclusion at both CMand UMKC. Dr. Blanding has careeraspirations that include pursuing afellowship in gastroenterology followedby a career in medical education.After growing up in Sharpsburg, Ga.,Zuri Hudson, DO, headed to Atlantaand the Georgia Institute of Technology(She will tell you “Go Jackets!”) whereshe earned her undergraduate degree inbiology. She continued her education atLincoln Memorial University in Harrogate,Tenn. where she earned her medicaldegree as well as a master’s degree inbusiness (MBA) and a master’s degree inbiological sciences (MBiolS). When youmeet Dr. Hudson, you will quickly seewhy her peers identify her as energetic,enthusiastic and approachable in herrole as a physician and leader. Dr.Hudson’s post-residency plans includea fellowship in hematology/oncologyand continued work on her passionsof diversity, equity and inclusion inacademic medicine, mental health andadvocacy.DEI Digest4

DEI RESIDENCY COMMITTEEThe Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)resident-run committee was started inthe Fall of 2019 under the direction offormer Chief Resident Danielle Gonzales,MD. At the time, four new resident-runcommittees were formed to increaseresident involvement in GME and beyondwithin the hospital (DEI, Advocacy,Research and Wellness committees). InDecember 2020, the first committee cochairs were selected to lead the charge,including Darius Blanding, MD; ZuriHudson, DO; Amy Johnson, MD; KyraMcCarty, DO; and Johana Mejias-Beck, MD.The goal is to enhance the residentcultural competency experience throughconversations, creating avenues fordiverse dialogue, and providing safespaces for them to learn and grow. Thisstarted with a resident forum to simplydiscuss definitions of diversity, equity andinclusion and has evolved into our ongoingprojects today. The committee is especiallyproud of our DEI “Not-So-Book Club,” DEI60 Seconds of Solidarity and Solidaritybadge stickers.The DEI “Not So Book Club,” name,inspired by the hospital-wide programof similar name, is a bi-monthly (virtual)journal club where discussions are hadabout race, gender identity, diversity andinclusion in mainstream media such as TVshows, podcasts, Ted Talks, documentariesand journalism. Thecommittee chairs selecta piece of media (forexample a Ted Talk onbeing a Black trans male,a documentary aboutRed Lining in KansasCity “Our Divided City,”a podcast episode aboutthe Black Lives Mattermovement “Code Switch:A Decade of WatchingBlack People Die” and many more) andencourage residents to watch/listen/read it. The committee then leads adiscussion surrounding the topic in journalclub fashion allowing free conversationbetween residents.The DEI “60 Seconds of Solidarity” isperformed every two weeks at the residentHousestaff Meeting where residentsselect a brief (ideally 60 seconds) topicwhich brings attention to a DEI topic fora “Minute of Solidarity.” Residents havediscussed the acceptance of transgenderyouth into USA Gymnastics, shared ananimated video on “Black Hair,” held amoment of silence for Ruth Ginsburg andher advances for women and broughtattention to the discrimination of Dr.Princess Dennar at Tulane University.Lastly, the committee created anddistributed solidarity stickers followingGeorge Floyd’s killing last year as aconstant symbol of support for the BlackLives Matter movement. These stickershave been spread from the residentgroup to nurses, attendings and staffthroughout Children’s Mercy. Any residentcan be a “member” of the committee,but we currently have 20 active membersincluding the chief resident, Robert Garner,MD, who oversees the committee and thefive committee co-chairs listed above.DEI Digest5

UNITED – UMKC INTRODUCTIONUniting Numerous medIcal Traineesfor Equity and Diversity (UNITED) is aresidency and fellowship advisory groupfounded through the UMKC Office ofDiversity, Equity and Inclusion’s School ofMedicine Multicultural Affairs in 2019 withthe recognition of the need for creatingsafe spaces to develop community andbuild relationships among UIM physicians.We believe that UIM physicians are notlimited to racial and ethnic identities,but also include those identifying asLGBTQIA , religious faiths and beliefs,life experiences, diverse geographicallocations and varying ability levels.Our mission is aimed at fostering anddeveloping relationships across specialtiesas well as advocating for diversity amongall UMKC and CM residency and fellowshipprograms. Previously this group was ableto host social events to build communityacross UMKC and CM trainees andworkshops with conversations centeredaround cultivating a diverse workspaceand environment, recruitment andretainment of diverse employees, implicitbias, and cultural competency amongother DEI topics.During this time of the pandemic, ourgroup has shifted to virtual social eventswith conversations on current eventsincluding most recently reviewingdocuments of the racial discrimination suitfrom Dr. Princess Dennar at Tulane MedicalSchool. UNITED hosted online Mix andMingle events this 2020-21 recruitmentseason in December, January andFebruary for applying trainees interestedin connecting with DEI ambassadors andlearning more about the transition toKansas City. These events had over 50applicants each from a variety of medicalprograms ranging in geography fromPittsburgh, Pa., and Portland, Ore., toPakistan, Egypt and India.We are a trainee advisory group ofresidents and fellows aimed at bringingpeople from all backgrounds together topromote collaboration and exchange ofthought on how to make our spaces morediverse, welcoming and inclusive. UNITEDis led by Raquel McCommon, MAEd, asthe advisor and Co-Chairs Zuri Hudson,DO, (PGY2, CM Pediatrics) and ShaniceRobinson, MD, (PGY2, UMKC OB-GYN).Visit our website to learn more:med.umkc.edu/odi/trainees.DEI Digest6