BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — On Friday, staff from medical centers all over the state took part in peaceful demonstrations in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
At Boston Medical Center, healthcare workers took part in a "White Coats For Black Lives" event in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Hundreds of medical staff in scrubs formed a large circle on the hospital's front lawn and knelt in silence for eight minutes and 46 seconds, in honor of Floyd.
Dr. Gerald Denis, Co-Director of BMC's Cancer Center, told WB NewsRadio he thinks it's time for white Americans to reflect on how their words and actions may be feeding into systemic racism.
"White people don't understand their privilege," said Dr. Denis. "You know, we can afford to overlook it. It's not in my face every day, and i's easy to forget. White people, we need to step up."
Pediatric ER Doctors Catherine James said it's imperative for all non-black Americans to take a stand against racism in their everyday lives.
"We want everyone to know that not only do we need to value black lives, but we also need to educate others not just to be 'not racist,' but to be 'actively anti-racist,'" said Dr. James. "And to take steps to educate yourself and to figure out how to stop systemic racism in this country."
WBZ NewsRadio's Kim Tunnicliffe (@KimWBZ) reports:
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(Photo: Kim Tunnicliffe/WBZ NewsRadio)