Lauren_Dones
Participant
    Post count: 3

    From Seperate to Equal

    The overwhelming emotion I got from the “From Separate to Equal” was pride that this was another example of African Americans beating the odds against a system set up to make us fail, and gratitude for the people who had to persevere and fight their way to provide African Americans in Kansas City a space for healing. I also found myself excited for what was coming next as the film progressed and progress was being made, and I was even baffled sometimes as to the justification that was given for the discrimination in healthcare that was taking place. Hearing the testimonies of the people who made it all possible, whether it was through written text or from those closest to them, really added to the telling of the story for me. It was gratifying that their perspectives hadn’t been lost or buried, but that their stories were being deliberately included in order to appreciate all of the work that it took to dismantle segregation in the Kansas City Healthcare System. Watching the video, I wondered how far behind would healthcare be if not for those who pioneered establishing safe spaces for African Americans when they did. The video further proved to me that the lack of minority representation in hospital administration stalls equal opportunity for the best quality of healthcare. One nurse’s explanation of how having to work harder for what they had, ultimately trained them to be better caregivers, encompasses the general attitude of the film. The film is free from bitterness, and instead shows how proud the community is of the perseverance required of those who ultimately made the fully-integrated Truman Medical Center possible.