Whether educators or learners, all have the responsibility to identify and intervene to mitigate inequities and build trustworthy institutions. This shared work often builds on shaky foundations when the history and through lines that pass through our institutions and the racist ideas and policies that infuse aspects of care are unknown, skewed or misrepresented. Invited to teach ourselves about the sources and impacts of inequities and social injustice, that teaching is often informed by experiences shared with and by patients and families and our work rests in deepening our understanding and participation, mitigating the effects of multilayers of policy, practice, laws, attitudes and beliefs that have and continue to cause harm.

Reflections 2020 – Inequities – Deepening the Conversation, Informing Action which linked patient and family “words” to racism and health inequities, interrogated to shine light where shadows have skewed the vision of many. Beginning with the institutions in which we work, this project uses settings and aspects of practice such as pain management, autonomy, aid in dying to explore how unchallenged ideas and assumed values, practices of exploitation and exclusion influence the therapeutic joining so essential to palliative practice. We invite reflection on the personal aspects and institutional hierarchies that may influence our choice to advocate and challenge with a particular focus on the risk aversion within teams and each profession.

All are welcome to use the project, video content and bibliography for teaching, education and discussions.