I just reached out to my summer lab group (~13 undergraduates) to acknowledge the horrific events of the last week, understanding that these are just the latest examples of deadly events that black and brown people experience. Then, I suggested we try to do something positive

I offered to hold weekly journal clubs focused on social justice issues.

I suggested we could hold a journal club focused on reading the work of neuroscientists of color, learning more about their lives and career trajectories in the process.

We could spend some time exploring the research on implicit bias in the sciences, learning more about how implicit biases impact scientists of color in the STEM field.

I invited the white students in this group to do some reading (such as “White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo or “How to be an Anti-Racist” by Ibram X. Kendi) and hold a discussion with that sub-group.

I'm hoping my white students and I could begin to understand or deepen our understanding of how we’ve all been shaped by institutionalized racism in this country.

I used to argue to myself that my PhD in Neuroscience didn't prepare me for these types of conversations and thus justified my silence in class. Even this is a form of privilege that I have.

Some reading, work, and connections I've made to others over the last few years have convinced me it is irresponsible for me to remain silent on these issues. I look forward to improving my "detour-spotting" skills: https://www.racialequitytools.org/resourcefiles/olson.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2yTDCIfHFxWlFP_ID4_6rHV3l2Jd2J3ZvSxvRY4-hto84XxeWjgLduHcA

I 've also asked for their input. I'm looking forward to hearing their ideas and helping them implement them