On June 18, Belmont University College of Pharmacy invited faculty, staff, students and administrators to participate in a demonstration of “White Coats for Black Lives.”
Participants joined together to listen, take a knee and observe a moment of silence for racial equality. The event drew a wide array of people from across the organization; in addition to family members and university staff.
Nigel Heard, president of the Student National Pharmacy Association chapter at Belmont University, organized the demonstration and was one of the speakers. “The purpose of this event today is to not only bring awareness to police brutality but also, and more importantly, systemic racism, especially in the healthcare setting,” said Heard. “The purpose is to give insight on the pain carried by a community that influences reactions. To help you understand the weight on our shoulders as we maneuver through our everyday lives. To shine light on police brutality, the unnecessary deaths of people who look like me, and the lack of accountability for those that murder them. It is not good enough to not be a racist. You must be actively anti-racism.”
