In June of 2020, following months of social unrest in the wake of a global pandemic and a string of highly public racial injustices and murders, second-year Doctor of Physical Therapy student Justus Norman wrote an open letter condemning his program's idle silence. In this episode, classmates Monique Deveaux and Ally Marcy join Justus to discuss the personal and professional impacts that this letter created within the program. Questions are raised about what it means to be an ally, how students can contribute to dismantling the racial disparities found in academia and healthcare, and why it is so important to initiate these core conversations.

References

• Links to Justus' letter and Monique's poem

• The recording of the Chronic Black Pain Panel webinar

This podcast is produced by the University of Florida Doctor of Physical Therapy Class of 2022 DEI Student Committee and the commentary does not represent the opinions of the University or the Department of Physical Therapy. This episode was recorded on December 2nd, 2020.

This episode of Core Conversations was hosted by Justus Norman and Monique Deveaux. Our production manager is Casey Jackson. Our marketing and department liaisons are Ally Marcy and Breanne Stefan. Our speaker coordination and recruitment chairs are Monique Deveaux and Rachel Castor. Our research coordinators are Haley Hasty and Cortlyn Raynes. Original music created for Core Conversations by DJ Ricky D.