WHITE COATS SPEAK OUT FOR BLACK LIVES
Health care workers at Christ Medical Center kneel in silence, solidarity for George Floyd
Eight minutes and 46 seconds. That is how long Derek Chauvin pressed his knee to the back of George Floyd’s neck while the latter man was handcuffed and lying face down in the street, according to the criminal complaint that led to a second-degree murder charge against the former Minneapolis police officer.
Floyd, a black man, was pronounced dead shortly thereafter, and the video that captured the officer’s actions sparked national demonstrations to recognize and correct racial inequality, enact police reform and seek justice.
Physicians and other team members from Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn knelt in silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds shortly after noon Friday, both to honor Floyd and support the Black Lives Matter movement.
The display was in solidarity with the nationwide movement known as White Coats for Black Lives. Advocate noted in a news release that the community has rallied around health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and those workers similarly wanted to show their sup
port for the city and nation, as well as black patients, physicians and staff.
The aim was to acknowledge and show understanding of the pain experienced by the black community, and to stand with them in supporting social justice initiatives, according to the release.
Advocate Children’s Hospital President Mike Farrell and Dr. Kelly Guglielmi, chief medical officer, both spoke before the silence. Three doctors — Roxanne Smith, Melissa Nater and Oyinkansola Okubanjo — also shared that as professionals they often care for the types of people accused of racially motivated attacks and then go home to worry about the well-being of their own children the same way many black families do.
“We remain committed to our oath to provide the best medical care possible to every patient that crosses our path, regardless of their station in life, their religious affiliation and their color,” Nater said. “We do this, but we look at our beautiful brown children with the crushing reality that this world will never afford them this same level of equanimity and grace.”
They said in the 8 minutes and 46 seconds that preceded Floyd’s death, they heard their own boys and girls when he called for his mother. They told listeners that, as physicians, they make and keep a promise to care for all Americans. They asked for everyone to return the favor.
“Make a promise to do better by our children,” Okubanjo pleaded.
“Allow us to breathe,” they conclude in unison.
Smith, who has worked with Advocate for 12 years, said she was proud to have the opportunity to speak. When administration was approached with the idea, she said there was no hesitation.
“It’s extremely important,” she said of the message they delivered.
Horace Bridges, the vice president of missions and spiritual care for Advocate Aurora Health, called the display “monumentally important.” A 21-year employee of Advocate, Bridges said the united front “didn’t surprise me.”
“This is the type of organization we belong to,” he said. “This was a step in the right direction.”
Dr. Eve Kenfack said the display made her proud to be a doctor with Advocate. She said she knew she had to be out there with her co-workers.
“It’s very important for everyone to be aware of human equality,” she said. “Love is not about race. … This is the essence of medicine. The first thing we do is look at a human being. We do not look at the patient as black or white or Arabic.”
While Kenfack carried a White Coats for Black Lives sign featuring a stethoscope and heart, Dr. Sana Mohsin knelt beside her with a similar message. Mohsin said she has been with Advocate for five years. She said the reason she attended the demonstration was simple.
“Because black lives matter,” she said. “We need to speak up.”
Similarly, she said she was happy to see so many of her co-workers behind the cause and to know that Advocate supported the effort.
“If they hadn’t, I’d be very disappointed,” she said.
Dr. James Rydel, who has been with Advocate for 26 years, held a large sign during the event that read, “Know Justice, Know Peace, No Justice, No Peace, BLM!” He said to see so many co-workers and Advocate supporting the cause was “a gift.”
“I think we all need to make a statement that the city is fed up with unequal treatment,” Rydel said. “It’s important to show solidarity from the medical community.”
Bill Jones is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.