Why there is no room for hate in healthcare…0r anywhere

The American Migraine Foundation denounces the violence and hateful racism directed toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in America. We are shocked and saddened by the rise in anti-Asian sentiment and the acts of violence targeting people of Asian heritage. This is the result of systemic racism that cannot be tolerated. We are heartbroken, but we will not be silenced.

AMF is an organization dedicated to serving the health and well-being of the patient community. As part of our mission to mobilize a community for patient support and advocacy, we believe we must use our voices to support Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC). By bringing these injustices to the forefront, we can tackle them head-on and outwardly condemn not just racism at the most extreme levels, but on smaller levels that impact all of us. Our fight against stigma extends well beyond the issues faced by those living with migraine and other disorders that cause head pain.  We must stand up to negative stereotypes, inappropriate labels, unconscious biases and discrimination.

In June of 2020, the American Migraine Foundation joined forces with the American Headache Society pledging our support of marginalized populations in America. Our manifesto was just as relevant then as it is now.

Our manifesto:

  • We will listen and learn and then act with intention to eliminate racism, bias, and barriers to healthcare access.
  • We will continue to foster an environment of inclusiveness that embraces everyone, regardless of ethnicity, race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.
  • We will deliberately work towards increasing the racial and ethnic diversity of our Society and Foundation membership and leadership at all levels.
  • We will utilize our organizations to support, mentor, and sponsor physicians and other health professionals from underrepresented groups of color in headache medicine.
  • We will support scientific inquiry into the deconstruction of healthcare disparities in headache medicine.
  • We will move to eliminate inequities in headache medicine for physicians, other health professionals, and patients through efforts led by our Advocacy Committee, Underserved Populations in Headache Medicine Special Interest Group, and the American Migraine Foundation through education, scholarship, research and advocacy.

We ask that you join us in standing against racism, violence and xenophobia in America. When we all stand together, no one stands alone.