The American College of Academic International Medicine (ACAIM) denounces the structural racism, including incidents of police brutality, that led to the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner and so many others before them. The institutionalized beliefs, behaviors, actions and systems associated with, and responsible for, these tragedies must be confronted and reformed with urgency before more lives are lost. We join ours to the global chorus of voices calling for the cessation of deadly force use by law enforcement, for active review and elimination of discriminatory practices, and for justice for the lives that have been taken.

The epidemic of structural racism is evidenced by not only the repeated incidents of unacceptable abuse and cruelty by law enforcement, but also by the disproportionate COVID-19 death toll among the people of color. These are only some of the manifestations of the glaring, pervasive, longstanding and unacceptable inequity that continues to exist in the United States. This health crisis has disproportionately affected minority communities, who have less access to adequate healthcare and who, as a whole, already suffer from a higher burden of chronic diseases and the ongoing trauma of racism. In response, we must strive for a more equitable distribution of health resources, and we must urgently address the social determinants that intrinsically lead to the development of disease and worsen its impact. 

ACAIM stands with fellow academic and medical organizations in advocating for the protection of health and human rights and for a society free of violence and oppression. As a multispecialty organization of physicians advancing healthcare around the globe, we also accept the critical role of tackling the inequities and injustices affecting the health of our own home communities. We are committed to standing up for this change and for a better future.