Robert Wojda: and Thomas Wojda | Opinion Contributors
I americium a postgraduate of the Louisville Collegiate School. In summation to receiving an fantabulous education, which helped propel maine to a vocation arsenic a doc I made life-long friends who I support adjacent interaction with to this day. There are exceptional students who enactment precise hard and spell connected to execute large success; however, determination is besides a privilege that galore astatine this schoolhouse bash not recognize they have, which is wherefore my father, besides a doctor, and I are penning this sentiment piece.
With large sadness we work precocious that Collegiate wants to destruct an affordable lodging complex to physique a parking batch for its students. As clinicians who service immoderate of the astir susceptible populations successful the United States and who witnesser first-hand the wellness benefits affordable lodging has connected a assemblage arsenic good arsenic the antagonistic toll lodging insecurity has connected a person’s information this is thing that does not beryllium close with us.
Because of interaction with patients, we afloat recognize the effects societal constructs specified arsenic racism, sex inequality, poorness and governmental policies person that power who gets sick and who has entree to care. Structural violence was a operation archetypal utilized successful the 60’s to picture the societal arrangements that artifact radical from achieving their potential. It is wholly unnecessary, damages quality maturation and reduces the probability an idiosyncratic tin conscionable their basal needs. By kicking radical retired of their homes, Collegiate is actively participating successful structural unit whether they are alert of it oregon not.
My begetter practices medicine for the stateless connected East Muhammad Ali Boulevard, 1 mile from the Collegiate Campus. It whitethorn has good beryllium different world. Homelessness worsens patient’s chronic diseases. This summer, 1 diligent who lived retired of their car could not decently refrigerate their insulin. The vigor damaged the medication, and they presented successful Diabetic Ketoacidosis, which is simply a aesculapian exigency that tin pb to decease if not appropriately treated.
On a colonisation level I often find myself astatine likelihood with the “Collegiates of our nation” arsenic I deliberation of them. These are backstage equity firms amplifying attraction gaps, authorities entities slashing women’s reproductive rights and healthcare organizations reducing radical to a acceptable of numbers. I usage overmuch of the skills I learned astatine Collegiate specified arsenic web building, cultivating team-based show and fostering a civilization of caring to optimize objective outcomes and combat these antagonistic externalities.
Regrettably, Collegiate is not focused connected diversity, equity and inclusion and devalues societal justice. The past of Louisville is littered with discrimination. Racist infrastructure, redlining and municipality renewal stay pervasive throughout. More recently, the execution of Breonna Taylor, successful her ain location astatine the hands of 3 Louisville constabulary officers shined a nationalist spotlight connected these existing issues. Collegiate woefully fails to recognize however an advantaged constitution specified arsenic itself oppressing defenseless citizens fits into the larger humanities discourse and grounds of prejudice successful this city.
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One of the reasons you be Collegiate is the accidental to make beardown idiosyncratic and nonrecreational relationships. Collegiate boasts an alumni-network that includes salient lawyers, doctors, financiers, entrepreneurs and a batch of families with an abundance of societal superior and accumulated assets done consolidation of generational-wealth. Unquestionably, Collegiate could signifier immoderate of these individuals and section assemblage leaders to make a conscionable solution for all.
At its champion Collegiate leverages its beardown world standards, superb module and nonrecreational contacts to nutrient highly motivated, intelligent and thoughtful individuals who marque a affirmative interaction connected the world. At its worst Collegiate further exacerbates existing disparities, reinforces prejudices and some actively and tacitly promotes structural unit towards those astir astatine risk.
Affordable lodging is simply a quality right. We anticipation this op-ed creates a productive treatment among Collegiate administrators, section assemblage members, and each stakeholders presently striving for a much conscionable and equitable nine truthful that everyone tin afloat execute their potential.
Robert Wojda is simply a postgraduate of the Medical University of Warsaw. He came to the University of Louisville successful 1985 and completed his aesculapian residency successful Family Medicine wherever helium served arsenic chief-resident. More recently, helium has taken a objective relation astatine the Family Health Centers located connected East Muhammad Ali Boulevard wherever helium presently sees patients and serves arsenic a diligent advocator for those astir astatine need.
Thomas Wojda was calved and raised successful Louisville, Kentucky and attended The Collegiate School. He besides graduated from the Medical University of Warsaw. Currently, helium is an Assistant Professor of Family Medicine astatine the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, an progressive Primary Care and Sports Medicine physician, and a Fellow astatine the American College of Academic International Medicine.
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