Racist. Anti-racist. Microaggression. Institutional racism. The power of a definition.
I find my body tenses at the word “racist.” It also tenses at the word “earthquake.” I ask you to be aware of your body as you read this essay. I suggest wiggling your toes, shrugging your shoulders, and taking slow abdominal breaths.
7:18 a.m. Shift change. The 8.0 magnitude earthquake hits. Nurses, medical students, and physicians improvise care for patients. One public hospital completely collapses. Another’s OB/GYN tower falls, killing …