Race Card Wall Project: Reflecting on the Role of Race in Medical Education

Background: Librarians from the University of Florida Health Sciences Libraries' Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Team collaborated with the University of Florida's College of Medicine to host a Race Card Wall Project for the College’s 2021 Celebration of Diversity Week. The global Race Card Project was created by journalist Michele Norris in 2010. The goal of the University of Florida Health Sciences Libraries' Race Card Project was to create an educational conversation around race in medical education and professional practice. Participants were asked to share their thoughts or experiences concerning race. Through sharing personal stories, individuals can listen and learn from each other’s experiences while gaining a deeper understanding of societal challenges.

Description: The original goal of the project was to have a physical wall in the form of two whiteboards that displayed participants’ Race Card submissions. Due to COVID-19, the team provided both an in person and virtual way to participate anonymously in the project. In person participants were given a physical card that prompted them to share their thoughts or experiences concerning race. An online survey was created so participants could participate virtually and sent out to all health science center students and advertised on the University of Florida Health Sciences Libraries' website. Online responses were added to the physical whiteboard display. All responses were screened for blatant offensive and divisive content. The whiteboards were placed in the College’s education building from April 5th to April 9th. They were then moved to the health sciences library until the end of May 2021 for additional participation.

Conclusion: While COVID-19 limited the amount of in-person participation due to fewer people on campus, overall the project had a positive response and received 40 submissions, 20 of which were virtual. In their submissions, participants discussed how race has impacted their lives and motivated them in their academic and professional journeys. The response from participants and leadership was positive, with the College of Medicine suggesting that it would be useful to include this project in future Diversity Week events. The sub-team has brainstormed ways to enhance and expand the activity. Through these types of collaborations, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Team is able to build impactful relationships with community stakeholders and enhance awareness of the importance of having educational DEI conversations.