MichRx Pharmacist Consulting Services, Inc. and our entire TEAM are vehemently opposed to racism and social injustice and we fully support Black Lives Matter and the protests around the United States and the world against police brutality and racism.
As far back as I can remember, growing up in South Africa, one thing was always obvious to me. It was something that emanated from my core, from my soul, if you will.
It was the “knowing” that all human beings are created equal, that we are all the same. I had this overwhelming drive to help people.
As you can imagine, while growing up in apartheid South Africa, the gross injustices done to human beings was evident to me at a very early age. Just because of my color, I lived a life of privilege, with a five star education and access to almost everything, while my counterparts, who were black, lived a life of hell and servitude under the apartheid regime. They were faced with inferior education, had to carry “pass books,” and were forced to live in segregated, squalid townships and work at menial jobs for very little wage. This injustice and mistreatment of human beings was wrong, and I knew this from my core. As Nelson Mandela said, “To deny people their human rights is to challenge
their very humanity.”
During those years when I was growing up in South Africa, all media was censored. I knew nothing of Nelson Mandela until I moved to the United States of America. Everything about him was withheld from us. I grew up in a society where the majority of the population were mistreated, could not vote, and were not considered citizens. The government inflicted brutality on those who “disagreed” with their policies or who were outspoken to the injustices they were subjected to; many were arrested and “disappeared”.
I remember protesting and standing up for justice and freedom as a student at The University of the Witawatersrand where we were accused of being “communists’ and “Kaffir Boeties” by the brutal South African Police, people disappearing were commonplace.
I have ZERO tolerance for racism and the inhumanity that human beings with power inflict on each other.
This is the United States of America, it’s 2020 its time that institutional racism, and the blatant targeting of black men and women by the very people sworn to protect us ALL…. comes to an end.
The events of recent weeks have brought to the forefront of every citizen in the United States and the World the secret that was lying beneath the surface…..racism is not gone from this society, and the liberation of Slaves by Abraham Lincoln, the Civil Rights movement lead by Dr Martin Luther King Jr and Malcom X…. NONE of this seemed to matter to white men, and the killing and “lynching” just goes on
As a just, humane, conscious and civilized society, racism and the institution of power that drives the machine must end.
We support Black Lives Matter and the protests, it’s about time we took to the streets, let the voices of the people be heard and end racism for good. As Desmond Tutu said “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” United together we can do this!
It is NOT OK that black parents have to have the talk with their sons on what to do when stopped by the police…..it’s not ok. As citizens of the United States we have the most powerful tool of all…..our VOTE….use it on November 3rd
MichRx Pharmacist Consulting Services, Inc. programs are designed to help those in our society who have been marginalized and whose health is most at risk. The Ubuntu Pharmacist Care Program has been designed to help and improve the care of those individuals with HIV infection and chronic illnesses most affecting marginalized populations.
We focus on disparities in healthcare with culturally competent programs to effect good outcomes for patients and provide training for pharmacists and healthcare providers to provide improved care to their patients.
Did you know?
- The lifetime risk for HIV infection in Black MSM is 1 in 2
- The lifetime risk of HIV in black men is 1 in 20
- The lifetime risk of HIV in black women is 1 in 48
- Black individuals are disproportionately affected by Covid-19
- Hypertension higher in black community
- Higher maternal mortality rate
- Higher infant mortality rate
- Lower incidence of having health insurance in black community
- Higher poverty rate in black community
At MichRx Pharmacist Consulting Services, Inc. we embody the philosophy of Ubuntu in that the care that we provide and information we give to our patients is able to improve their lives which In turn improves the lives of their family and community. It also improves our lives. We are all connected and when I practice “On Purpose” what happens to me, happens to my patient happens to all of us. To this end we improve the health and lives of our patients”
Desmond Tutu said “A person with Ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, for he or she has a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed.”
Racism is TAUGHT,…. stop teaching. Nelson Mandela said “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
We the People…. are ALL the People….Black Lives Matter- AMANDLA
Be The Change
Michelle J Sherman
President MichRx Pharmacist Consulting Services, Inc.
