We need the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) to make a statement denouncing racism and systems of white supremacy. We ask you stand with us. Thank you to the "SLPs of Color" for drafting their original petition to ASHA. Please also directly submit feedback to AAA here:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VFGBN5K
AAA is the world’s largest professional organization of, by and for audiologists, representing the interests of approximately 14,000 audiologists, as well as students and faculty at the university level. Per AAA’s website, one of the core values is Cultural Sensitivity and Diversity, defined as: “to value diversity and to treat all patients fairly and equally without discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, creed, religion, disability, sex, age, sexual orientation, or national origin.”
The deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd are just the recent accounts of police brutality (towards Black people) and white supremacy. As a large professional organization, even if white-majority, we cannot stand idly by. Our silence speaks for us. Our silence says we are complicit. Our silence says we do not care. This silence not only affects those we serve, but also students and professionals of color within the organization.
Furthermore, intersectional identities are, by definition, not mutually exclusive. You may know of the Black students, audiologists, and faculty members in our organization, but what about those who may be Black AND d/Deaf or hard-of-hearing? Our students and professionals also serve numerous Black and d/Deaf + hard-of-hearing patients around the world, either through service trips and/or their everyday work. How can you actively choose to remain silent and not acknowledge their pain and experiences?
As a profession, we are stewards of health and communication and are charged with improving the quality of life for our patients, clients, and students. This includes our audiologists and patients that are directly affected by the systematic injustices seen in our country. We implore AAA to stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and subsequently our Black students and professionals.
