Diversity is getting people to not view others in oversimplified labels. Diversity is including people who don’t look like you into your circles. Diversity is so much work. But it’s work that we need to do, and we need it so badly. 

Dr. Tadé Ayeni is the Director of Diversity and Equity at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine and Assistant Professor in the Human Dimension program. Dr. Ayeni enjoys creating meaningful connections with people from various backgrounds within and outside of the medical school with the aim of working toward a more genuinely equitable educational system for all students, which is a key piece in the fight to produce more equitable health outcomes in society. 

He sits with us to dissect issues of race, tolerance, and diversity in healthcare and beyond. He discusses how racial biases in the healthcare system require a deep understanding of our preconceptions and how we can actively shift these belief systems to create a more inclusive world. He also dives into the COVID-19 vaccine and what some black communities may feel towards them.

This podcast was recorded on the evening of Jan 6th, 2021, a very bleak day in American history. Despite the utter chaos in the Capitol, I was glad Dr. Ayeni still had the time to record our scheduled podcast session. In fact, I think it added a lot of color and meaning to our conversation.