February 2023
Anti-Black Racism and Los Angeles County (Excerpt)
By: Curley Bonds, M.D.
Serving as Chief Medical Officer for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health allows me to work closely with some of the most dedicated and mission driven psychiatrists I’ve ever met. It is a privilege and an honor to serve the residents of LA County in this role. Prior to my current position, I spent many years in academic faculty and leadership positions at UCLA and then Charles R. Drew School of Medicine where I was the Chair of Psychiatry from 2005 until 2018. I still teach and supervise residents from both institutions. During the early years of my career, I was frustrated and disheartened by healthcare disparities. This led me to move into more administrative roles where I can play an active role in ensuring that under resourced communities could access state of the art care. One key lesson that I’ve learned over the years is that I can’t be an agent for meaningful and necessary changes in the world without disrupting the status quo. In addition to my public mental health and academic work I also maintain a small private practice. I am frequently reminded by many of my patients that seeing a provider who understands their culture and/or looks like them is an important part of their recovery journey.
Lift Others As You Climb (Excerpt)
by Deborah Deas, M.D., MPH
My mother would say this to me throughout my childhood in Adams Run, South Carolina, teaching me to see the humanity in others. Despite the challenges of growing up in that socioeconomically disadvantaged community and dealing with racist and sexist issues that are still prevalent today, it was those family values that instilled in me the knowledge that you have the ability to not only transform your own life, but the lives of others as well. It is one of my guiding mantras and I have followed it throughout my life.
Please read Drs. Bonds' and Deas' complete articles beginning on Page 5
