Dear UCSF Community,
I am pleased to share with you that today UC President Michael Drake and I will welcome U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and other leaders to our Mission Bay campus, where she will address Black maternal health with the goal of finding solutions to persistent health inequities.
Vice President Harris will meet with families and health practitioners who are part of UCSF Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences’ EMBRACE, an innovative care program that helps Black families get the perinatal care they need for healthy pregnancies and births.
You are invited to watch Vice President Harris address the disparities in Black maternal health during a news conference to be presented live via the White House livestream at 2:30 p.m. (PT).
Sincerely,
Sam Hawgood, MBBS
Chancellor
Arthur and Toni Rembe Rock Distinguished Professor
Dear UCSF Community,
Yesterday, we witnessed history: The U.S. Senate confirmed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, making her the first Black woman to sit on the highest court in our nation since it first assembled in 1790.
Judge Jackson will be the 116th justice to serve on the Supreme Court when she replaces retiring Justice Stephen Breyer at the end of the court’s session this summer.
As we followed, perhaps anxiously, her nomination hearings, we saw the boundaries of what is possible redefined. Judge Jackson’s confirmation gives us all, but especially Black women and girls, a new vision of limitless professional possibility. This vision—this hope—is why diverse representation is essential. Today, as I reflect on this moment, I feel a sense of pride and joy.
According to the American Bar Association (ABA), Black women represent only 4.7 percent of all lawyers nationwide. And just 70 Black women have ever served as a federal judge. These numbers highlight that we still have much work ahead of us to achieve diversity and equity. However, as we work to make UCSF a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization, Judge Jackson’s confirmation reminds us that we can make change. So today, let us rejoice in this historic moment.
Sincerely,
J. Renée Navarro, PharmD, MD
Vice Chancellor
Chief Diversity and Outreach Officer
Dear UCSF Community,
Once again, we mourn the lives lost and those injured in another mass shooting, this time early Sunday morning in Sacramento.
As our colleagues at UC Davis Health provide care to many of the shooting victims, this incident reminds us of the ongoing epidemic of gun violence. Our society must do more to address this public health crisis.
This news comes as the war in Ukraine enters its sixth week, with new reports over the weekend of atrocities targeting civilians.
The weight of these horrendous events can feel overwhelming. If you need support, I encourage you to seek UCSF’s resources for students, faculty, and staff:
- Student Health & Counseling: (415) 476-1281
- Faculty and Staff Assistance Program: (415) 476-8279
Especially during times like these, let’s show each other kindness and compassion, embodying our PRIDE Values, both on campus and in our communities.
Sincerely,
Sam Hawgood, MBBS
Chancellor
Arthur and Toni Rembe Rock Distinguished Professor
Dear UCSF Community,
This month of April is an important month of holy days for Christians, Jews, and Muslims around the world. This evening, April 1, Muslims in the U.S. will honor the start of the holy Islamic month of Ramadan. Because this holiday centers around daily fasting, it is important for us at UCSF to be aware of the needs of our patients, colleagues, students, staff, faculty, and community members who observe this holy month by fasting. Fasting includes refraining from consuming any food or drink, including water, during daylight hours.
There are nearly two billion Muslims worldwide, comprising almost a quarter of the world’s population. Nearly 250,000 Muslims live in the San Francisco Bay Area, about 3.5% of the region’s total residents. Ramadan is observed by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the revelation of the Qur’an.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, and the month begins and ends with the appearance of the crescent moon, so the dates of Ramadan’s beginning and ending may vary in different locations. Lasting for 30 days, in the U.S. Ramadan will end on Sunday, May 1, with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr starting on Monday, May 2.
Fasting during Ramadan, as well as increased prayer and acts of charity, are engaged to cultivate kindness, generosity, patience and forgiveness, and invite those observing to increase awareness of God’s presence in their lives.
Ramadan is seen as an opportunity to reflect on one’s actions and to engage in good deeds with family, friends, and communities. Some are exempt from fasting, such as children, those who are ill, travelers, and those who are menstruating, pregnant, or breastfeeding.
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