Chats for Change | Mount Sinai
Activities that spark conversations.
Below is the Fall/Winter 2022 Chats for Change schedule. If you are a member of the Mount Sinai Health System, you are welcome to join us for these sessions.
Grab your pumpkin spice latte and bundle up, fall is coming! This fall, we are continuing to expand our reach by introducing new Chats for Change topics and new facilitators. We’re wrapping up our year-long focus on the characteristics of White Supremacy Culture while focusing on hot new topics. Do you find yourself hesitating, often remaining neutral, or simply undecided – not because you want to – but because you are unsure and want to learn more? You may be on the fence. Join us as we explore white privilege, the “not racist” category, affirmative action, and other topics that may leave you with doubt and uncertainty. You don’t want to miss any of these chats!
This fall, we are partnering with the Instructional Technology Group (ITG), Center for Anti-Racism in Practice (CAP) Fellows, members of the Asian Resource Network, and medical student groups.
Chats for Change | Summer 2022
October 2022
On the Fence: White Privilege
Does the word white create discomfort among those who are not used to being defined or described by their race? Does the word privilege, especially for poor and rural white people, sound like it does not belong to them – like a word that suggests they have never struggled? Join us as we unpack how white privilege can be a built-in advantage and separate from one’s level of income or effort.
Facilitators: Ann-Gel Palermo, DrPH and Alia Barnes, MPH
Tuesday, October 4 | 12-1 pm | Join us on Zoom.
The LANDBACK Movement – Indigenous Rights in Modern Day America
How much were you taught about the history of Native/Indigenous peoples in this country? Did you know that the Mount Sinai Health System currently occupies lands that were stolen from Native tribes, including: the Wappinger, Munsee Lenape, and Canarsie people. During this session, we will touch briefly on the history of Native peoples in the United States, the modern day LANDBACK movement, and the work toward collective liberation for all.
Facilitators: Ashley Michelle Fowler, MEd and Michele Gourley, MD
Tuesday, October 11 | 12-1 pm | Join us on Zoom.
Deeper Dive Series | White Supremacy Culture Characteristics: Progress is More
Is the goal to always be/do/get more and be/do/get bigger? When we believe progress is more, we value those who have “progressed” over those who “have not” — where progress is measured in degrees, grades, money, power, status, material belongings. Join us as we take a deep dive into how progress is more shows up in our work and learning environment and what we can do to counter this white supremacy culture characteristic.
Facilitators: Leona Hess, PhD and Alia Barnes, MPH
Tuesday, October 25 | 12-1 pm | Join us on Zoom.
November 2022
On the Fence: Exploring the “Not-Racist” Category
Aren’t we all striving to be “Not Racist”? How did “Not Racist” become a disparaging term? What’s so bad about it, and what are the alternatives? Join us as we explore how language is used, why it matters, and what the difference is between racist, not racist, and anti-racist.
Facilitators: David Muller, MD and Ann-Gel Palermo, DrPH
Tuesday, November 1 | 12-1 pm | Join us on Zoom.
“Every Image Embodies A Way Of Seeing” (John Berger, Ways of Seeing)
Visual tools- photographs, illustrations, and animations- are powerful components of medical practice, education and communication. Our personal biases and ways of seeing the world are inherent in how we interpret and deploy images. What has your experience been with visual tools in medicine? Join us as we discuss our encounters with medical images and discern tactics to counteract bias in the images we use.
Facilitators: ITG: Gale Justin, PhD, Jill Gregory
Tuesday, November 8 | 12-1 pm | Join us on Zoom.
Preparing the Next Generation of Health Care Professionals to Achieve Health Equity
What knowledge, perspectives, and training should our future healthcare professionals have? What sorts of upstream interventions and educational experiences will allow us to cultivate these qualities? During this session, we will explore areas for improvement in premedical and medical education to inform how future physicians care for and advocate for diverse patient populations. We will also examine how to better prepare our future healthcare leaders for advocating when they experience injustice.
Facilitators: Halbert Bai, MPH, Celestine He, BA, Charles Sanky, MD, MPH
Tuesday, November 15 | 12-1 pm | Join us on Zoom.
Deeper Dive Series | White Supremacy Culture Characteristics: Fear of Conflict
One of the greatest barriers to the growth of society is our shared inability to address hurt and harm. From being “appropriate” to not wanting to hurt the feelings of others, our shared fear of open conflict affects us all and creates violence through silence. Join us as we build an understanding of this paradigm, and explore ways we can all learn to “say the thing”.
Facilitators: Jay Johnson, CHES and Leona Hess, PhD
Tuesday, November 22 | 12-1 pm | Join us on Zoom.
In the News
What’s happening? Join us as we critically deconstruct a current newsworthy topic related to racism and bias
Facilitators: Jennifer Meyer, LMSW, MPH and Ann-Gel Palermo DrPH
Tuesday, November 29 | 12-1 pm | Join us on Zoom.
December 2022
On the Fence: Capitalism
Often described as the looming “big bad”, capitalism is part of the fabric of American society, and what creates the “land of opportunity”. But is capitalism really bad? Join us as we unpack the both/and of capitalism’s good, bad, and ugly
Facilitators: Jay Johnson, CHES and Pete Zweig, MPA, PMP
Tuesday, December 6 | 12-1 pm | Join us on Zoom.
From Slavery to Mass Incarceration: The Impact of the 13th Amendment
The 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution holds that “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction”, but what does this mean for us today? Join us as we explore the history of “post-slavery America” and the correlation between the ratification of the 13th Amendment and modern day mass incarceration.
Facilitators: Ashley Michelle Fowler, MEd and Jay Johnson, CHES
Tuesday, December 13 | 12-1 pm | Join us on Zoom.
Rest is Resistance
“Rest is a necessary step in reclaiming our power to resist systemic oppression.” — Ibram X. Kendi
Rest is a form of resistance because it disrupts and pushes back against white supremacy and capitalism. Let’s take this hour to explore our troubled relationship with rest and learn ways to connect to the liberating power of rest, daydreaming, and naps as a foundation for healing and justice.
Facilitators: Leona Hess, PhD and Ann-Gel Palermo, DrPH
Tuesday, December 20 | 12-1 pm | Join us on Zoom.
Deeper Dive Series | White Supremacy Culture Characteristics: Liberation
Equity is often discussed as an end goal for anti-racist work – a world where fairness prevails against the systems that marginalize groups of people, but how can we liberate our world from the system itself? Join us as we dream of breaking the wheel and inspiring a fight toward liberation for all.
Facilitators: Jay Johnson, CHES and Leona Hess, PhD
Tuesday, December 27 | 12-1 pm | Join us on Zoom.
January 2023
On the Fence: Affirmative Action
Affirmative action was enacted in 1965 and has faced fierce opposition ever since. In this session, we’ll explore the reality and myths behind affirmative action, how it’s impacted American society, and its potentially perilous future.
Facilitators: Pete Zweig, MPA, PMP and Alia Barnes, MPH
Tuesday, January 3 | 12-1 pm | Join us on Zoom.
Racism x Immigration: A Deep Dive
How are immigration laws rooted in racism? How do the courts and public opinion support these policies? How do immigration policies impact international personnel at Mount Sinai? From the border wall and ICE to policies separating children from their parents and travel bans, we will discuss the long history of racism in the US immigration system, the impacts on immigrants and potential immigrants, and re-imagine a more equitable system.
Facilitators: Hamel Vyas, Esq. & Jennifer Meyer, LMSW, MPH
Tuesday, January 10 | 12-1 pm | Join us on Zoom.
RBI x CAP Fellows
The RBIxCAP fellows for the Center for Anti-Racism in Practice (CAP) will critically dissect a topic related to racism and bias in the medical education environment.
Facilitators: RBIxCAP Fellows
Tuesday, January 17 | 12-1 pm | Join us on Zoom.
Racism x Tokenism
Equity is often discussed as an end goal for anti-racist work – a world where fairness prevails against the systems that marginalize groups of people, but how can we liberate our world from the system itself? Join us as we dream of breaking the wheel and inspiring a fight toward liberation for all.
Facilitators: Jay Johnson, CHES and Leona Hess, PhD
Tuesday, January 24 | 12-1 pm | Join us on Zoom.
Deeper Dive Series | White Supremacy Culture Characteristics: Worship of the Written Word
Why is anything that is documented or published valued more highly than other forms of knowledge and communication? Are policies more important than conventional wisdom? Are written biographies more important than oral histories? Are clinical trials more valuable than patients’ lived experiences? Join us as we explore where this notion comes from, and the harm it does to our efforts to achieve justice and equity.
Facilitators: David Muller, MD and Jennifer Meyer, LMSW, MPH
Tuesday, January 31 | 12-1 pm | Join us on Zoom.
These sessions are intended for the Mount Sinai Health System community of students, faculty, and staff. After registering for any of the sessions above you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting, including an option to add the invitation to your calendar.
If you are interested in participating in Chats for Change sessions that are open to the public, join us here.