I am writing on behalf of my colleagues in the Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium to express our anguish about the injustice of George Floyd’s death and the long history of other social injustices, many of which are never reported.  We are determined to be a part of the call to action. Black Lives Matter. Racial and ethnic inequities in our country have endured for far too long, and they are unacceptable.

Given the COVID-19 crisis and COVID-related economic, personal, and professional hardships, one might ask if this is the right time to take on this daunting problem. Our answer is a resounding yes. Now is the time to address our centuries-old racial and ethnic inequities. It is an historically important time for our country, for each of us to reflect on what we can do to address the issues at hand, and an unparalleled opportunity for us to come together to make a lasting difference for people of color.

We have begun to ask ourselves what we can do to change the way we think and act to make that happen. Like many of you, we are determined to become better educated about the problem, learn more about the changes we, ourselves, need to make to be more sensitive and inclusive, and modify our attitudes and actions accordingly. We will make every effort to understand what we can do individually and together in our personal and professional lives. We will do our very best to enact the changes needed to make a real and tangible difference, and we will remain steadfast in our resolve and attention to ensure that we make a difference that lasts.

To those of you who have been personally impacted and have felt the pain of discrimination, please know that we stand with you in spirit and practice. We will continue to call for necessary changes in the months and years to come—and we will continue to enact enduring changes ourselves. We in the Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium will continue to draw on our collective strength, join you in the fight against discrimination, and ensure that your voices are heard.

On behalf of the Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium, this statement is of consensus and included team writing, following discussion of this critically important time and our shared goal of making change.

Sincerely,

Eric M. Reiman, M.D

On behalf of my colleagues in the Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium