Adventist Review Online | Silence is NOT an Option

Dear AdventHealth Team Member,

In recent days, our nation and the world witnessed a public servant, whose sworn duty was to protect and serve, steal the life of George Floyd. Mr. Floyd, whose chilling last words, “I can’t breathe,” are written on protest signs across the country and world, joins an ever-growing list reminding us that racism and injustice represent a clear and present danger for African Americans.

There is unimaginable hurt in our black communities given the long history of such senseless deaths, including the recent killings of Mr. Floyd in Minnesota, Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia and Breonna Taylor in Kentucky.

We cannot remain bystanders. While there is breath in us, silence is not an option.

Our sacred calling to deliver wholeness and care for those who are wounded and hurting is guided by our mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ. As a faith-based health care provider, we have a responsibility for the health and well-being of the communities around us.

AdventHealth’s diverse team members each bring their unique talents and experiences to their roles every day. These team members also bring with them the sum total of their experience with racism and discrimination resulting in traumatic anxiety and pain. Our team is like a body, with no unimportant parts. When one area hurts, the whole body is affected. The same can be said of our nation as a whole.

We know that our communities look to us for guidance and direction on matters of health and well-being. At AdventHealth, caring for others starts with our service standards: Keep Me Safe, Love Me, Make it Easy and Own it.

These standards create a framework for the actions we take at our hundreds of care sites, and also suggest our response to this deep-seated issue. To deliver compassionate, Christ-like care, we must preserve and advocate for the safety of others. We must love beyond borders, skin colors and cultural barriers. We must own it and think carefully about what role we can play in bringing about change.

Finding a solution, then, starts with each of us and our leadership.