As a construct, Racial Justice has been around since the United States was founded and arguably since the beginning of time. However, as a term, Racial Justice is something many people are just now coming to understand. Uniformly, racial justice has been described by NEA Ed Justice as “the systematic fair treatment of people of all races, resulting in equitable opportunities and outcomes for all.” Depending on the industry, these injustices can take many forms. In medicine and medical education, it can mean the difference between life and death—making the fair treatment of all people of utmost importance.

Farrah-Amoy Fullerton (MS4), was born in Jamaica. In 2003, she, along with her parents, migrated to Huntsville. As someone who always knew she wanted to become a doctor, Farrah-Amoy decided to attend Mary Baldwin University in Virginia to double major and minor in biology & biomedical sciences and physics & chemistry. After her time at Mary Baldwin University, Farrah-Amoy chose to attend medical school at UAB—allowing her to move closer to home. 

With the recent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, and numerous others, Farrah-Amoy uses her voice as a member of a marginalized group and as a medical student to create an open space for dialogue. LaidBlack, an informational conversation series, discusses race, specifically in medicine and medical education. As a leader of the student-led Anti-Racism Movement in the UAB School of Medicine, Farrah-Amoy will be facilitating discussions with other medical students, residents, and faculty. 

Topics covered on LaidBlack are hand-selected by Farrah-Amoy and are generally themes that aren’t covered in typical education settings. However, while the conversation might change each week, the podcast’s overarching mission will be to foster an educational space where people can collectively grow.

The first in her series, “Overcoming Discomfort on the Path to Becoming a Better Ally or Activist,” launched July 4, 2020. Intentionally, Farrah-Amoy wanted to start her podcast addressing the concern many people of color, Blacks, and African Americans face when celebrating the Fourth of July. During this episode, Farrah-Amoy welcomed panelists from diverse backgrounds to share their perspectives. From someone who grew up in an overtly racist household to people of color who are Black/African American and Asian American, these individuals share their experience with privilege.

In addition to the episode listed above, there are two more topics that have been discussed—“Racial Inequities of Coronavirus: How COVID-19 Disproportionately Affects Black and Brown Populations” and “Microaggressions, Overt Acts of Racism, and their Profound Effects on the Mental Health of BIPOC Students and Residents.” Within these three sessions alone, Farrah-Amoy has already amassed over 150 followers for LaidBlack. Of these, demographics are split 50% identify as female, and 50% identify as male.

For those interested in tuning in, visit LaidBlack's Anchor page or listen on Spotify, Google Podcast, Apple Podcast, and more. Typically, episodes will stream once a week; however, Farrah-Amoy will be taking time off during the month of August 2020 to study for her boards and will return at the end of August. Until then, you can get caught up on previous episodes or interact with the show on social media.

Instagram- @LaidBlackLive
Twitter- @LaidBlackLive