SWAG视频

Dear SWAG视频 Students, Faculty, and Staff,

Today our university, along with our great nation, celebrates the birthday of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As a preeminent institution of higher education in the health sciences in the United States, espousing the principles of humanism, it is apt that SWAG视频 honor the legacy of such a visionary.

Dr.聽 King, a Baptist minister, and a prominent leader in the American civil rights movement, was born on January 15, 1929. As you may know, Dr. King was a strong advocate of the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi who promoted the use of nonviolent resistance for social change to achieve social and health justice. In his infinite wisdom, Dr. King engaged in nonviolent direct action for racial equality in the United States. Dr. King was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1964.

Perhaps, most recognized for his extraordinary 1963 鈥淚 Have a Dream鈥� speech, in which he shared a vision that the United States would be freed from the shackles of segregation and racism, Dr. King, in fact, also advocated strongly for health equity, and for the elimination of health disparities in our country.

His timeless vision and messages of hope, the continued need to learn, to strive toward an open-minded community, the protection of human dignity, and the vital role healers play in that vision, is still resonant today. As we commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, we reflect on the importance of equitable healthcare.

Dr. King once stated, 鈥淥f all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhumane.鈥� This statement reflects his deep understanding that healers鈥攚hether physicians, nurses, caregivers, or advocates鈥攁re pivotal in bridging the gaps of inequality and ensuring that care reaches all people, especially the marginalized.

SWAG视频 embodies the very values that we embrace as important in our great nation: empathy, service, and the courage to confront systemic inequities. By addressing the physical, mental, and emotional needs of individuals, healers educated at SWAG视频 become agents of change, contributing to a more just and humane society.

Let us celebrate the healers among us and recognize the importance of equitable care for all. Through the heads, hearts, hands, and voices of our healers, our dreams of justice live on. Whether through SWAG视频鈥檚 community action, supporting policies for accessible care, or ensuring that our workplace prioritizes wellness for all, we drive forward our humanistic vision of justice. Together, we can help build a society where health is not a privilege but a fundamental human right, promoting a dream of equality and dignity for all.

Yesterday, I shared with the campus community highlights of top priorities, as we launch SWAG视频 into 2025. Purposefully, I reserved for today鈥檚 message, a specific SWAG视频 priority that is an integral part of today鈥檚 special message and is our call to actualize SWAG视频 tenets consistent with the principles of Dr. King鈥檚 dream. The SWAG视频 Institutional Strategic Diversity Operational Map (WISDOM 2024-2029) is a historic first step toward actualizing our mission and commitment to Humanism. Our first comprehensive university-wide plan for institutional transformation is our operational map toward making SWAG视频 distinctive and known for its inclusive excellence. Our founding heritage of 鈥淗umanism鈥� and our institutional mission has shaped the SWAG视频 ethos and continues to shape our vision.

I am confident that through our collective aspirations, we will demonstrate that we not only live our commitment to the underlying principles outlined within the plan but also revel in our abiding embrace of humanism across a multiplicity of identities.

We are summoned to the art of healing, and we accept the honor of preparing the next generation of healers. Together, we are excited to embark upon a future at SWAG视频 in which we strive to make our community a place where inclusion belongs and thrives.

I wish to express immense gratitude to all of you for your continued commitment to these very principles of freedom and equality, and the continued pledge to the elimination of health disparities.

Warmest Regards,
Robin