STATEMENT ON ANTI-RACISM AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
SHEP stands against any form of social identity-based discrimination, hate or violence in any form and remains committed in its solidarity with Black, Asian, Latinx, Indigenous, LGBTQIA+, immigrant and religious minority communities being oppressed by the ongoing hate and violence targeted against them. We reaffirm our support for the utmost well-being and healing of our Bruin community members. And demonstrating this commitment by serving as change agents in spaces dedicated to transforming the institution through interrogating and rebuilding the policies, procedures, beliefs, and systems that are built into the very fabric and nature of UCLA.
STATEMENT ON SOCIAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC HEALTH
Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion as stated in UCLA’s mission and Principles of Community statement informs our stance on social justice as a public health issue.
As health and wellbeing professionals, we believe that the intersections of person (mental, emotional and physical health), place and planet are inseparable and shape your overall wellbeing. Individual wellness is the framework for community health as we are all impacted by the health of our community members. At UCLA we strive to create an inclusive diverse community, but we understand as SHEP staff, that valuing difference is not enough to manifest justice and thereby provide for the wellbeing of our community of students. We know that your experiences on this campus are significantly impacted by bias, privilege, marginalization, invisibility and a culture of white supremacy that results in systemic oppression. The outcome of these realities impact health and wellbeing. From micro-agressions to national tragedies, your sense of safety is key to our mission of providing for the health and wellbeing our community.
Social justice is a public health issue because the wellbeing of our community as a whole ultimately impacts all of us on individual levels. Health care is a human right. So long as marginalized communities experience oppression we will not be able to guarantee health and wellbeing for everyone. As Martin Luther King wrote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Racism, transphobia, homophobia, anti-Semitism, islamaphobia, sexism, and all forms of bias impact health and wellbeing. Sexual and reproductive health and ownership over one’s body are key aspects of the intersection of justice and healthcare.
We are committed to creating a community of care and learning that will not leave anyone behind. We believe it’s important to hold true to the UCLA’s value of inclusion and diversity.
We are committed to healing our community through the pursuit of social justice and dismantling systems of oppression that stand in the way of actualizing basic human rights while pursuing equitable health and wellbeing as a college student. Social justice is a pathway to positive wellbeing and is key to our mission of supporting your success at the UCLA.
Adapted from Statement on Social Justice and Public Health, Center for Health and Wellbeing, University of Vermont