At a time when the convergence of COVID-19 and persistent social injustice has further illustrated the many inequities that disproportionately impact people of color, we find ourselves – as a society, and here at the Schwartz Center – at an inflection point.
 
As an organization founded to advance compassion, the Schwartz Center condemns racism as a disavowal of the shared humanity upon which compassion depends.
 
Grounded in this mission, we affirm our commitment to realizing a more just, equitable and compassionate healthcare system through our programs — Schwartz Rounds^®, the National Compassionate Caregiver of the Year^® Award (NCCY), the Compassion in Action Healthcare Conference and webinar series — and through our advocacy. In particular:
 

• We celebrate the contributions of all caregivers in clinical relationships and reinforce the fundamental role of compassion in “making the unbearable bearable.”
• We leverage our programs to amplify marginalized voices across the healthcare profession and to promote diversity, equity and inclusion to further advance compassionate healthcare.
•  We support the creation of safe spaces where healthcare professionals can be vulnerable, engage with their full humanity, and connect with themselves and others.
• We foster interprofessional collaboration to foster an environment of belonging, inclusion, and the bridging of silos that often hinder our healthcare organizations.
• We support the delivery of person-centered compassionate care for all patients and families.

At the Schwartz Center, we know that when we value each other’s full humanity, we view compassion as a foundation for justice, equity, and trust in healthcare. And we’ve witnessed the transformational power of compassion in clinical relationships, patient care, and organizational culture.
 
We unite with our healthcare colleagues and patients around the world to confront the forces that exacerbate pain and suffering for people of color. We further commit to supporting our members and the larger healthcare community in dismantling racist systems and creating forums to process race-based trauma and discrimination. And we condemn racism and the structural inequities that stand in direct opposition to both our mission and the vow of all caregivers to do no harm.