At this point, we are all aware of the untrue and hateful rhetoric being spread by public figures about Haitians in America. These abhorrent rumors used racist tropes to fuel descrimination against Haitians, especially in Ohio.
These false claims result in real harms. NPR reported that bomb threats and fear are gripping the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio.
On social media, there has been an outpouring of critcism of these outright lies, along with support of the Haitian community. Yesterday, Partners In Health released a statement on racist misinformation about Haiti and Haitians, which concludes, “Rather than sharing or perpetuating unfounded rumors or misinformation targeting Haitians, we invite you to learn more about the ways in which Haiti and Haitians are bending the arc of history toward justice around the world.”
In that spirit, I’m resharing two interviews I was fortunate to have with Dr. Jonas Attilus, Psychiatry Resident in University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Dr. Attilus was born and raised in Haiti, and refers to the value of his upbringing as he describes his awareness of managing power differentials in patient/physician communication.
This year, Dr. Attilus returned to our show to discuss how he gives compassionate care to his patients by taking the stance of a learner.
Listen to both of Dr. Attilus’ interviews below.
