The Department of Pediatrics sponsored a welcome dinner for residents, fellows, faculty, and staff who identify as BIPOC on September 27 at the home of Katyn Furuya, MD, professor, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition. BIPOC includes anyone who identifies as Black, Indigenous (Native American/American Indian), Hispanic/Latine/x, Asian/Pacific Islander/Desi, Middle Eastern/North African, multiracial, or other non-white permutation not mentioned above.
Attended by 21 DOP members — 10 faculty, seven residents, three fellows, and one staff — the dinner featured a selection from Melly Mel’s, including beef brisket, cabbage and kale, and mashed potatoes, as well as halal sandwich platters from Petra Bakery and Restaurant. Furuya provided several of her homemade desserts.
The welcome dinner was just the beginning of efforts to develop a BIPOC mentor registry to facilitate connection among BIPOC trainees and faculty members who share similar professional interests and goals. In addition, new connections may allow people to share their unexpected challenges and encouraging successes.
Learn about the goals and strategies of the department’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) workgroup and other initiatives headed by the department’s director of DEI, Mary Ehlenbach, MD, associate professor, Division of Hospital Medicine, by visiting the Department of Pediatrics Intranet [link accessible for department members only].