Starting the year with action

July marks the beginning of a new academic year. The past year has been filled with many triumphs (the Michael P. Araneo Building, the Alycia Araneo Craft gift, the start of a new facility) and challenges (the sudden loss of Craig Beeson, COVID-19, modified operations).

One of our greatest challenges is an old one – how to make a real difference in the fight against racial injustice. The death of George Floyd has made us all take a hard look in the mirror to see if we are doing enough to bring about needed change. Last month, I reached out to our Dean’s Circle to ask for their advice and input on this issue. I also reached out to five of our African American alumni who are leaders in the profession and their communities.

One outcome of these discussions is the formation of the Pharmacist Alumni Action Network (PAAN). This network will be a resource to provide leadership and support in addressing racial injustice. It will help us:

• Ensure that the college is a safe space where every member feels valued.
• Identify tools for our graduates to be agents of change in their communities.

As an initial action, we will hold some virtual listening sessions for the MUSC pharmacy family to share their own experiences, concerns, and/or suggestions about future actions regarding racial injustice. These sessions are open to everyone in the MUSC pharmacy family, regardless of race, and will take place this summer. Listening sessions will take place from noon to 1 p.m. Aug. 5, 2020, and 6 p.m.to 7 p.m. Aug. 6, 2020. Email cop-PAAN@musc.edu to reserve your spot. A private Zoom link will be provided to those who register.