NEW YORK, (February 1, 2021) – Caroline Barrett, SanovaWorks Vice President of Operations
Februarys for me usually roll-around with a dreariness and overall somberness. The New Year is a little less shiny and new, a little less promising. The winter overcast hangs low, with no break in the sky to even lend a glimmer of hope for spring. And of course, February commemorates Black History Month, the very need for which solemnly recognizes the stain of slavery and enduring discrimination, disenfranchisement, and systemic and institutionalized racism, which has disadvantaged African Americans for generations.
And yet, as I sit here on this February 1st, watching a blizzard descend on New York City, the vacant streets seem almost to signal a time of reflection. In this moment, as I pause, breathe, and reflect, I am filled with optimism — and more than that, I am filled with an eagerness for action. Harnessing the hope and perseverance of the African American women and men whom we commemorate this month, I choose not to wallow in the bleakness but rather to commit to an agenda for change.
At SanovaWorks, we are guided by integrity, heart, and ethics — all qualities we’ve seen shine in this past year. But we have work to do. We are committing ourselves, our business to hold equity and inclusion at the core of the work we do:
- Equity in patients’ access to qualified dermatology healthcare providers
- Inclusive and diverse education on dermatologic diseases in all skin tones
- Equity in dermatology healthcare providers’ access to leadership and career advancement opportunities
- Inclusive recruitment of employees, contractors, and vendors
- Embracing equity and inclusion into our company vision and mission and fostering it as a core value
Black History Month is not just a celebration of accomplishments by African American women and men, but an acknowledgment of the adversity they faced — to make all Americans aware of their struggle for freedom and equal opportunity.
May you be encouraged this month to educate yourself and your family on African Americans’ accomplishments and be inspired by them — and most importantly, to be moved to change. Take this moment to commit yourself to a yearlong, nay lifelong commitment to dismantling racism in your life, family, community, and country.
Because to quote Ta-Nehisi Coates, “It was 150 years ago and it is right now.” We’ve got work to do.