There’s Much More Work To Be Done – FOR ALL

It was almost one year ago – 331 days to be exact – when George Floyd was killed that I shared a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who wrote:

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” 

Last night, when the verdict was rendered and justice was done, as I received countless notes from teammates, a surge of emotions welled up inside me. It gave a measure of hope that we collectively – as Americans – could honor the memory of Mr. Floyd by paving a path in earnest toward genuine reconciliation as we gain a deeper understanding of the fears and pain felt for too long in our communities of color. I felt that this could serve as a pivotal moment to create authentic connections between people from all walks of life and build stronger bridges of understanding between us.

And, as the nation reflects on the work we must do to heal, I am so proud of how each of you have led through action and example this past year. Together, we raised our voices to engage in meaningful dialogue through Courageous Conversations. Together, over a thousand of our teammates participated in #WhiteCoatsforBlackLives. And, together, we worked to make COVID-19 testing and vaccinations accessible for all, closing testing disparities in communities of color. These are just some of the many ways we delivered on our founding commitment to provide care to all regardless of their ability to pay, what they look like or where they come from.

We do these things because our mission statement, to improve health, elevate hope and advance healing – FOR ALL, is not just words on a page. These words are the credo by which we do our work, and the guiding light for our organization as we continue to lead by example for a better and more equitable world.

While this verdict brings some measure of hope that justice can prevail, it has not solved the issue of racial justice. There’s much more work to be done. To empower this work, our Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion has provided teammates many resources, like the Racial Justice Toolkit. And for those teammates who may still be personally struggling to process the events of this past year, as I am, we encourage you to take advantage of our Employee Assistance Program services, and other healing modalities offered by our spiritual care team.  

Above all, I ask you to talk to each other; to speak up and not be silent. Share your thoughts and feelings and engage in the work that must be done to make our corner of the world a more equitable place to live. While change does not occur instantly, I promise that we will not be bystanders as we continue our journey to make our FOR ALL mission come alive every day for everyone we are proud to care for.  

Thank you for the many ways you continue to serve during these times.

Warm regards,

Eugene A. Woods, President & Chief Executive Officer