Dismantling Racism Against Black, Indigenous, And People Of Color Across The Substance Use Continuum: A Position Statement Of The Association For Multidisciplinary Education And Research In Substance Use And Addiction

Recognizing that racism has profound effects on persons who use alcohol and other drugs, the Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance use and Addiction (AMERSA) commits to promoting equity and inclusion to dismantle the individual, institutional, and structural racism that has pervaded the United States for centuries. Racism's deadly effects compounded with other social determinants of health result in a cascade of negative impacts. These include higher rates of incarceration, increased risk of overdose, fewer employment options, multi-generational poverty and economic disadvantage for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPoC). The AMERSA Board of Directors (BOD) proposes an initial set of strategies to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion using a framework that speaks to four key AMERSA experiences: engagement, education, mentorship, and leadership.