Excerpt from a letter written by Dr. Kwadwo Owusu-Akyaw
You have overcome near insurmountable obstacles to reach this point. Undoubtedly, your community of family, friends, mentors, advocates and allies is overwhelmed with pride in your accomplishments. We hope to not only to add to the chorus of congratulations, but to ignite a fire of self-determination in the very depth of your being. We need you. We need you, because past and present injustices contribute to the denial of basic human rights in Black communities, even in a country celebrated as the standard bearer for equality and freedom. We need you, because access to medical education for Black individuals is at a historic low. We need you, because Black bodies continue to be underestimated, undervalued and under-treated at a level tantamount to a public health crisis.