By: Lucy Eum, Outreach Assistant, Office of Community Partnerships and Global Health
Mind the Disruption is a podcast by the National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health and the Public Health Agency of Canada. It is committed to constructing a healthier, more equitable world. This podcast delves into the intricate fabric of social movements advocating for justice. Now in its second season, the podcast embarks on an exploration of social justice movements.
In its first episode of season two, Mind the Disruption welcomed the guest speakers Dr. Ingrid Waldron, Professor and HOPE Chair in Peace and Health in the Global Peace and Social Justice Program at McMaster University, and Dr. Gaynor Watson-Creed, Associate Dean, Serving and Engaging Society at the Community Partnerships and Global Health Office at Dalhousie University. Dr. Waldron, alongside Dr. Watson-Creed, initiated a compelling dialogue on environmental racism in Nova Scotia. Dr. Waldron’s insights into the Environmental Noxiousness, Racial Inequities & Community Health (ENRICH) project highlighted the importance of collaboration in raising awareness, fostering community empowerment, and engaging political advocates to effect transformative policy changes.
The conversation illuminated the urgency of addressing racial disparities within environmental issues, as Dr. Waldron remarked, “Racial procrastination delays action on systemic racism, in health care, immigration, and more.” These words resonate deeply with me as I also feel the same critical need for immediate action to dismantle systemic inequities in these areas, including medical education.
Contextualizing the significance of this discourse within the broader mission of the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University elucidates its profound impact. With a steadfast commitment to social accountability, the faculty endeavors to serve and uplift communities through its endeavors in research, education, and community engagement. I am looking forward to what the faculty’s next steps will be in social justice movements.
Source: National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health (https://nccdh.ca/learn/podcast/#season_2)