Like many, we are greatly disheartened by the unconscionable circumstances surrounding, most recently, the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and impacting many in Black communities. We acknowledge the deeply-rooted cycles of oppression, racism, and societal inequities that have surrounded us for generations and that continue to create the conditions where tragic events like these are possible. This sense of injustice hits home for so many at a time when the global COVID-19 pandemic has made existing societal divisions starker. Events like these shine an even brighter light onto realities that must be confronted.

To all the Black clinicians and students in the PCP Network and across the country, know that the PCP community stands with you against inequity, racism, and violence. At Primary Care Progress, we are focused on building Relational Leadership skills to strengthen the community at the heart of care. While our organization is not equipped to properly address racial and restorative justice, our programs provide healthcare professionals and students with the foundational skills to build the agency, leadership, and teamwork that are needed to address these societal inequities. PCP will continue to find opportunities throughout our work to share tools and resources from experts in health equity, racial and restorative justice, and strive to lift up stories from Black communities, and all marginalized populations, that must be heard.

In times like these, we encourage everyone in the PCP Network — all of us as individuals and as a community — to uphold a PCP core value of a commitment to equity and inclusion. We must all continue to confront the reality of societal inequities and their impacts, and identify opportunities to catalyze change that seeks to eradicate those inequities inside and outside of healthcare. The importance of continuing this work individually at your clinics, institutions, and in your communities has perhaps never been more important than right now, and we are here to support you in the ways that we can. The health of our nation depends on it.