Like so
many Americans, I was outraged by events that took place this past week in
Baltimore, Maryland, USA. While I do not assert to have all the facts, it is
clear something went terribly wrong. In 2003, as a student in the Master’s in
Public Health program at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, it was also clear
to my classmates and me that economic disparity in the community was
ubiquitous.
As the
situation unfolded this past week, I found myself transfixed by the media
coverage, but also disappointed in the outlets that focused on the few who
decided to express their frustrations through destructive means rather than the
vast majority of citizens who, to bring attention to a long-standing problem, protested
peacefully. As I listened to a number of young people being interviewed, either
in a school setting or on the street, I heard the chilling perceptions they
communicated, of feeling left to fend for themselves and that their lives
do not matter. Whether perceived or real, these beliefs, formed by their lived
experience, demand an effective response by community leaders, as well as the
federal government. Imagine believing your life does not matter! It is almost impossible
to comprehend.
Like all
wounds, this chasm is going to take time to heal. However, this is also an
opportunity for health professionals to help bring healing to a community in
pain. It is truly going to take a village to address the enormity of the deep-seated
issues the community has long endured. Through this transformational event, we
have all been reminded that economics and race still divide us, producing a
narrative that creates misplaced fear about the very people who need our help
the most.
For Reflections on Nursing Leadership (RNL), published by the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International. Comments are moderated. Those that promote products or services will not be posted.
