“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
About Us
DOCS 4 POC is a group of healthcare professionals and allies across the United States dedicated to advocating for social justice for communities of color.
On May 30th, 2020, a group of resident physicians in Los Angeles, California founded DOCS 4 POC. Despite the many challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic era, DOCS 4 POC was created during the first virtual National Convention of the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR). By that morning, the injustice of George Floyd’s murder at the hands of police in Minnesota on May 25th had become the catalyst for the latest revival of the #BlackLivesMatter movement only five days earlier. As we, most of us elected union representatives in residencies and fellowships throughout the United States, met through Zoom on our computers, protests were happening in the streets all around us. Many of us protested on other days; but on that day, we started our fight for social justice for communities of color as the organization DOCS 4 POC (“People of Color”). We held our first meeting on May 2nd 2020 and by July 7th we had an Instagram, website, Facebook, Twitter, and Slack workspace.
We’ve been growing, we’ll keep growing,
and we’ll keep going
until we have a fair and equitable society
for everyone.
Our Mission Statement
We, at DOCS 4 POC, believe it is our duty to advocate for the right to health and wellness for all patients. We believe that health happens both inside and outside of the hospital or clinic. We believe it is our responsibility to address the social determinants of health in addition to the biological determinants. We believe that the existence of health and healthcare inequalities anywhere and to any person is unjust. We believe that every person, regardless of race, ethnicity, ancestry, citizenship status or national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, religion, political affiliation, income, age, or disability, deserves the right to health.
What does P.O.C. mean?
“P.O.C.”, or POC, is an acronym for “People of Color,” a term that refers to people of non-White race, ethnicity, or heritage.
“Though I may not be here with you, I urge you to answer the highest calling of your heart and stand up for what you truly believe. In my life I have done all I can to demonstrate that the way of peace, the way of love and nonviolence is the more excellent way. Now it is your turn to let freedom ring.
When historians pick up their pens to write the story of the 21st century, let them say that it was your generation who laid down the heavy burdens of hate at last and that peace finally triumphed over violence, aggression and war.”
- Congressman John Lewis
