OT JEDI

By: Suzanne Rappaport
  • Summary

  • OT JEDI recognizes the present social injustices and racism that still exist within our nation, and embrace the rich perspectives and experiences that arise from racial, ethnic, socio-economic, sexual, gender and religious diversity within our health care community.The goal of OT JEDI is to empower our listeners in order to recognize barriers with our occupational therapy experiences that may be caused by social injustice, inequality, and racial trauma. We are committed to building opportunities for learning, growth, and accountability.

    © 2024 OT JEDI
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Episodes
  • What Do We Owe Each Other in Occupational Therapy?
    Dec 2 2024

    Last season in episode 5, we explored the history of Black occupational therapists with guest speaker Toni Solaru. She spoke of systemic barriers in legal, governmental, and educational contexts. Highlights included Lela A. Llorens' 1969 Slagle Lecture, the only one by a person of color, and discussions on initiatives like AOTA's 1988 minority recruitment study, the founding of COTAD and BLM in the 2010s, and the addition of DEI as a pillar in Vision 2025. Despite these efforts, AOTA's inconsistent support for BIPOC and individuals with disabilities remains a concern. The discussion also addressed the lack of education on BIPOC history in OT and whether it’s fair to expect BIPOC faculty to take on this responsibility. Lastly, we critiqued how many JEDI and DEI initiatives have been performative and noted their decline in prominence by 2024.

    We reconnect with Dr. Solaru to discuss the impactful work of Diverse OT National and the programs they support. She also highlights key initiatives such as Disrupt OT and the Unconference, emphasizing actionable steps and the importance of staying vigilant and informed in advancing equity within the profession.

    References and Resources

    https://www.blackbeyondthebinarycollective.org/

    https://us.jkp.com/products/occupational-therapy-disruptors

    https://givebutter.com/DiverseOT

    https://www.commonnotions.org/everything-for-everyone?srsltid=AfmBOorVhJCZeHS2ze5KDe5XBWjfCZZx5xWQHXsl9VUunnUdt3oU88Ri

    Interested in joining the book club?

    • Reading for the Revolution, first meeting is January 22, 2025 from 6-8:30 PM CST, 2.5 CE/PDUs credits available. FREE event.
    • Advocacy in Action #1: Where Are All the Black OTs? The first meeting is February 1, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST. Four CEs/PDUs are available. A $50 suggested donation is suggested. Use code ACCESS4ALL for free registration. All funds go to supporting DOT operations.

    What We Owe Each Other - References

    Davis, A. Y. (2022). Freedom is a constant struggle (F. Barat, Ed.). Penguin Books Ltd.

    Gates, H.L. (2016, Nov 9). Black America since MLK: And still I rise, black panthers [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_E8O8rlnoo&list=PL8DMaz5ynUE269cN892SpNPiBSESfbd70&index=12&ab_channel=HenryLouisGates%2CJr.

    hooks, b. (2018). All About Love: New Visions . HarperCollins.

    King, M. L., Jr. (2018). Letter from Birmingham Jail. Penguin Classics.

    Peck M. S. (1998). The different drum : community making and peace (2nd Touchstone). Simon and Schuster.

    TRT. (2021, Jun 16). Deep dive: A history of Black-Palestinian solidarity [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAl5YrNQHWs&ab_channel=TRTWorld

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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • OT JEDI Season 3 Trailer
    Nov 1 2024

    Hello, OT JEDI listeners! As we approach the 2024 election, it’s a perfect time to reflect on the enduring importance of justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion—our JEDI principles. Since 2020, there’s been a powerful call for justice and equity that has resonated across communities, professions, and industries. But as new challenges arise, we need to keep JEDI values central in all that we do.

    I'm speaking to you now as the new Program Director of SUNY Downstate’s Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate (PP-OTD) program, where diversity and inclusion are integral. The faculty and student diversity at SUNY Downstate is essential, and I'm actively fostering this by building an inclusive, accessible, and representative program. To support practicing professionals, I've introduced a credit-for-prior-learning initiative, waiving up to 9 credits, saving students close to $10,000—a step toward making higher education more equitable.

    Amid this transition, I’m thrilled to bring back OT JEDI with Season 3, focusing on sustaining and amplifying the JEDI movement. Let’s continue advancing these values together, in every sphere of life. Stay tuned for new episodes soon, and thank you for being part of this journey toward a more inclusive future.

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    3 mins
  • Transtastic: Gender Identity for Occupational Therapy Professionals
    Nov 1 2023

    Occupational therapists must consider the unique needs of transgender clients to create an inclusive healthcare environment that respects individual identities. Several recent legislation restrict various liberties, including medical treatments, bathroom usage, and preferred pronoun recognition. Transgender individuals often face distinct challenges related to mental health, social support, and healthcare access. Occupational therapists play a vital role in addressing these challenges by tailoring intervention plans to meet the specific needs of transgender clients, which may include assistance with daily activities and serving as advocates. By embracing cultural humility and gender-affirming care, occupational therapists contribute to the well-being and empowerment of transgender clients, promoting healthier and more fulfilling lives.

    Resources

    • Philadelphia Trans Wellness Conference
    • Fenway Health & Harvard University “Advancing Excellence in Sexual Minority Healthcare”
    • Harvard online course “LGBTQ Health Issues”

    References

    Gender identity and expression. (2016, April 16). [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from personal email from PFLAG Health Disparities. (2015, September 1). [blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/disparities/index.htm

    Human Rights Campaign & Trans People of Color Coalition. (2017). A time to act: Fatal violence against transgender people in America 2017. San Francisco, CA: Lee, M.

    Lynn, M. (2017). Here’s what transgender people with disabilities want you to know. BuzzFeed, Retrieved from https://www.buzzfeed.com/mahdialynn/heres-what-disabled-transgender-people-want-you-to-know? utm_term=.fdrrNNQX5m#.jbdx00AzGX

    National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. (2011). National transgender discrimination survey. Washington, DC: Grant, J. M., Mottet, L. A., Tanis, J., Herman, J. L., Harrison, J., & Keisling, M.

    National LGBTQ Health Education Center: Fenway Health. (2016). Affirmative care for transgender and gender non-conforming: Best practice for front-line health care staff. Boston, MA

    Occupational Therapy’s Commitment to Nondiscrimination and Inclusion. (2014). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68(Supplement_3), S23-4.

    Pan, L. & Moore, A. (n.d.). The gender unicorn. [blog post]. Retrieved from http://www.transstudent.org/gender

    Parekh, R., (2016, February). What is gender dysphoria? [blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/gender-dysphoria/what-is-gender-dysphoria

    Singular ‘they’. (2018). [blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/singular-nonbinary-they

    State Maps of Laws and Policies. (2019). [blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.hrc.org/state-maps/transgender-healthcare

    Understanding the transgender community. (2018). [blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.hrc.org/resources/understanding-the-transgender-community

    Violence against the transgender community in 2018 (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.hrc.org/resources/violence-against-the-transgender-community-in-2018

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    30 mins

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