EDI News & Op-Eds

Henry Edmonds, an outreach program coordinator at the Duke-UNC Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center since 2022, takes pride in his success with increasing African American participation in the center’s studies. Prior to his current role, he served for 20 years in a similar position with the Bryan Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center in the Department of Neurology.

Emily Aarons, MD, a third-year psychiatry resident, received this year’s James H. Carter, Sr. Community Service Award. Carter was the first Black full professor of psychiatry at Duke, and the award was established in honor of his dedication to serving the underserved.

Through Grand Rounds and other events, Duke Psychiatry hosts speakers from diverse backgrounds to share their expertise on a wide range of topics, including how history, culture, social identities, community, and belonging influence mental health and well-being.

In the summer of 2023, a Duke Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences team was selected to participate in a new yearlong pilot program, “Shifting the Paradigm: Restorative Justice as a Framework for Workforce Well-Being.” Offered through the Office for Faculty, in partnership with the School of Medicine’s Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, the program aimed to help address burnout, compassion fatigue, and harms, while promoting workforce wellness and satisfaction in the School of Medicine community.

The Sensory Friendly Film Series, an initiative created through a partnership between the Carolina Theatre of Durham and the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, provides a safe and welcoming cinema experience for autistic individuals and others in need of sensory accommodations.

At the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, researchers are working to ensure that research studies are accessible and research outcomes are broadly applicable. The research team partners with interpretation services to bring Spanish-speaking families into the study. Interpretation goes beyond direct translation; in addition to being understandable, all materials are designed to be culturally appropriate.

The NC Trauma-Informed Communities Project team held a retreat in Pine Knoll Shores, NC, on September 23-25. The gathering was an opportunity for those working in the trauma-informed space to elevate their equity-focused, community-led approaches and to build community and enhance connection amongst themselves through relational power and restorative justice practices.

In this AAMC Viewpoint article, Damon Tweedy, MD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and New York Times best-selling author, argues that curtailing training in diversity, equity, and inclusion risks ignoring the shadow of history that still haunts many Black patients.

On the anniversary of the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Duke Graduate School takes an opportunity to reflect on the state of disability justice today, especially here at Duke, and to highlight the exciting, ongoing work of students, faculty, and staff as it relates to disability—including efforts by Duke Psychiatry's Sam Brandsen, PhD, and Tara Chandrasekhar, MD.

Assistant professor Tyson Pankey, PhD, MPH, has been named vice chair for equity, diversity, and inclusion for the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, effective August 1, 2024. A clinician, researcher, and educator, Pankey specializes in culturally responsive behavioral health and education among minority patients, including those with intersecting cultural identities and backgrounds.