HISTORY
The ARC for Justice, situated within the SMHS Office of Diversity and Inclusion, emerged from a grassroots dialogue following the death of George Floyd. In a notable moment of shared vision, Dean Yolanda Haywood was composing an email to Barbara L. Bass, MD, RESD ’86, Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean of SMHS, to propose the establishment of a justice-focused initiative, while Dean Bass was simultaneously drafting a message to Dean Haywood with the same intent. The ARC for Justice draws its guiding principles from the words popularized by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1968): “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,” reflecting a commitment to sustained efforts toward fairness and systemic change.
Through the ARC for Justice, the medical faculty, staff, scientific educators, and a broad array of learners at The George Washington School of Medicine & Health Sciences (SMHS), the GW Hospital, and the GW Medical Faculty Associates (MFA) have implemented a multifaceted plan since June 2020, actively supported by and engaged with our executive leadership and working members at all levels, to identify, educate and eradicate all forms of injustice in our educational processes, working environments and operational procedures. Our multidisciplinary Guiding Coalition comprises integrated teams of basic sciences, research, community-based medicine, hospital-based medicine, surgical and nonsurgical domains, pediatrics, health sciences, academic leadership, training/development/education, students, and administrative and professional staff.
ARC Core Team
- Dr. Yolanda C. Haywood serves as co-chair of the GW ARC for Justice. She is the Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Professor of Emergency Medicine.
- Dr. Grace E. Henry serves as lead process manager of the GW ARC for Justice. She is the Assistant Dean and Director for the SMHS Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
- Jalina Booker serves as process manager of the GW ARC for Justice. She is the Program Manager for the SMHS Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
Departments with Equity Directors on the ARC for Justice Guiding Coalition
- Anatomy and Cell Biology
- Anesthesiology
- Biochemistry
- Biomedical & Laboratory Sciences
- Clinical Research & Leadership
- Dermatology
- Emergency Medicine
- Health, Human Function & Rehabilitation Sciences
- Medicine
- Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine
- Neurosurgery
- OBGYN
- Physician Assistant (PA)
- Pathology
- Pediatrics
- Pharmocology/Physiology
- Surgery