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