In a formal statement today, the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI) condemned racism and other forms of discrimination, urging that these issues be confronted as public health crises.
Prompted by the deaths of George Floyd and numerous other Black victims of racism and violent police behavior, AACI expressed its solidarity with others in the cancer community—as well as citizens across the United States and throughout the world—who are working to confront health disparities caused by systemic racism and all forms of injustice.
AACI highlighted the responsibility of its Board of Directors, staff, and cancer center leaders to fulfill the association’s mission of reducing the burden of cancer for all people. Recognizing that this burden falls disproportionately on communities of color—particularly Black communities—AACI redoubled its commitment to promoting health equity, diversity, and inclusion through research, treatment, and advocacy.
As a membership organization comprised of 100 leading academic and freestanding cancer centers in the U.S. and Canada, AACI provides a unifying platform for its members to engage in meaningful advocacy activities, advance public policy, and encourage collaboration.
Earlier this year, AACI called upon U.S. presidential candidates to build on decades of progress against cancer by increasing access to comprehensive health care among racial and ethnic minorities. At its annual conferences, the association highlights the work of minority researchers and provides sessions on community outreach and engagement and recruiting diverse populations to clinical trials. AACI aims to leverage its position to foster mentor relationships within and across cancer centers, ensuring that individuals in leadership roles represent the diverse makeup of our country.
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AACI is dedicated to reducing the burden of cancer by enhancing the impact of North America’s leading academic cancer centers. For more information, please visit aaci-cancer.org.
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