The National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurse Associations (NCEMNA) is outraged, and calls for justice and accountability of law enforcement and institutional structures. Once again, a Black man, George Floyd, has been senselessly killed, before our eyes on national television. As a result, Americans of all races in all states are protesting the unjustified violence and racism that runs deep in the veins of America. We are experiencing tensions rising and protests for justice and peace are erupting locally and internationally because of the relentless and needless violence that continues against our communities of color, in particular against Black men. Black men die at the hands of police more than any other race of people.
NCEMNA as the unified nursing voice for ethnic minority nurses across the globe, have observed our own healthcare professionals and frontline nurses bravely battle COVID-19 for months. Many have lost their lives and others continue to risk their health. Now, the exponential effects of systemic racism as expressed by people who are supposed to protect lives, law enforcement officers, have rattled the very foundation of a humane society. Today, angry people are risking their own lives protesting, in some instances, unsafely with no regard to what happens next. Will they succumb to the effects of racism, the coronavirus or both?
Our country is in a state of turmoil and unending crisis that contributes to our long term physical and mental health. Immigrants are detained and their children kidnapped, Asian Americans are attacked and blamed for the corona virus, Native American women are kidnapped or murdered and perpetrators never brought to justice, people of color are not protected by the laws of this land. As nurses, we call on all health care professionals to declare a state of public health emergency to address these social ills and move this country toward true equality.
One thing is for sure, we know that the senseless violence must stop. NCEMNA stands in solidarity with those seeking justice, equity, and peace for all people. As nurses, we promote the celebration of diversity, understanding, compassion, and equality for all. We challenge the nursing profession to make changes at all levels in education, practice, research, and policy to break down institutional racism and discrimination.
The National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurse Associations (NCEMNA) is a coalition of five national nursing organizations that represent diverse communities. Our members include the, Asian American Pacific Islander Nurses Association (AAPINA), National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN), National Alaska/Native American Indian Nurses Association (NANAINA), National Black Nurses Association (NBNA), and The Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA).