HealthCore Clinic’s Anti-Racism Statement from Teresa Lovelady
Jun 06, 2020
America is a very interesting country. It is made up of people from various cultures, ethnicities, and races. I serve as the President and CEO of HealthCore Clinic in Wichita, Kansas where we treat everyone as equals with respect, dignity, and care. To see so many members of our Black and Brown community around this nation being treated without respect, dignity, and care is a dagger to our hearts.
- Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed 25-year-old African American man, was shot and killed in Brunswick, Georgia, while jogging. He had been pursued and confronted by two white residents, Travis McMichael and his father Gregory, who were armed and driving a pickup truck.
- Today would have been Breonna Taylor‘s 27th birthday. Breonna was an African American woman working as an EMT in Louisville, Kentucky. Like all of our staff here at HealthCore Clinic, she selflessly put herself on the frontlines because she loved people and cared for her community. On March 13, she was killed when police broke down the door to her apartment while serving a “no-knock warrant” and shot her eight times.
- Most recently, on May 25, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died in Minneapolis, Minnesota after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, knelt on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed face down in the street saying “I can’t breathe.”
As the mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, friend, and peer of many African American men, I pray for world peace each day. I pray that one day our world will recognize each man (and woman) as a person in need of love regardless of complexion. I pray the day comes when we all see each other as human beings and celebrate our differences instead of letting them bring us apart.
As our community, and communities around the world, flood the streets with rally cries for justice, I peacefully stand with you. I do not condone the violence – I understand it – but I do not support it. At HealthCore, we support peacefully protesting and using our collective voice to be heard, demand change, and heal together. We understand there is a wide range of emotions being experienced by our community right now such as anger, sadness, fear, hopelessness… These emotions are natural and if you need someone to talk to, please, call us and speak with a member of our behavioral health team. We are here for you.
Lastly, we are still amid the largest health crisis of modern times. While protesting, grieving, and speaking out please continue safe practices like wearing a mask, remaining 6-feet apart, and washing your hands. We need to, now more than ever, practice these social distancing and safety measures to help prevent the further spread of COVID-19/Coronavirus.
Please continue to try your best to be safe and resonate peace in all your interactions. We are here for you at HealthCore Clinic where you will always be treated with respect, dignity, and care regardless of your race, color, national origin, religion, age, or sexual preference.
Sincerely,
Teresa Lovelady
President & CEO, HealthCore Clinic