ANA Adopts Statement to Address Past Racial Harms and Build a Better Future

September 22, 2022 by Alec Stone MA, MPA, Former ONS Director of Government Affairs and Advocacy

Moving forward, ANA will (https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/workforce/racism-in-nursing/RacialReckoningStatement/):

The statement is part of ANA’s “multiphase journey of reconciliation, forgiveness, and healing (https://www.nursingworld.org/news/news-releases/2022-news-releases/american-nurses-association-seeks-forgiveness--as-first-step-to-racial-reconciliation/).” It addresses racial harms (https://www.nursingworld.org/news/news-releases/2022-news-releases/american-nurses-association-seeks-forgiveness--as-first-step-to-racial-reconciliation/) dating to 1896, when the association formed.

“We know that ANA’s work to reckon with our historical and institutional racist actions and inactions is long overdue,” Loressa Cole, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, ANA Enterprise CEO, said (https://www.nursingworld.org/news/news-releases/2022-news-releases/american-nurses-association-seeks-forgiveness--as-first-step-to-racial-reconciliation/). “Racism is an assault on the human spirit, and we want to be accountable for our part in perpetuating it. We have certainly failed many nurses of color and ethnic minority nursing organizations, undoubtedly damaging our relationship with them and in so doing, diluting the richness of the nursing profession. We ask forgiveness from nurses of color as a first step to mend what is broken.”


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