AGA Equity Project
AGA has committed to a multi-year effort spanning all aspects of our organization to achieve equity and eradicate disparities in digestive diseases.
A six-point commitment to equity
With a long-standing interest in diversity, recent events in the U.S. have intensified the AGA Governing Board’s interest to make a significant impact on the goals enumerated in our diversity policy.
In July 2020, we introduced the AGA Equity Project. The project’s advisory board will develop a multi-year strategic plan to achieve the following aims:
- A just world free of health disparities in digestive diseases and free of inequities in access and effective health care delivery.
- State-of-the-art and well-funded research that aligns with the realities of the current multicultural patient population and disease states to achieve health equity for all.
- A world where it is expected and normal that both members and society leadership structures are diverse, and people of color and women are included in organizational decision making.
- Recognition of accomplishments of diverse leaders. In addition, all leaders recognize, inspire and cultivate the next generation of prominent, diverse leaders.
- An engaged AGA membership and staff educated about unconscious bias and committed to the eradication of racism and prejudice towards patients, colleagues, and communities.
- The existence of a diverse, culturally and socially aware, large and vocal early career membership that leads the field towards achieving the vision.
AGA Giving Day
Your gift will fund health disparities research.
We condemn the recent acts of intimidation and violence in the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community.
AGA is concerned by the Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping issued on Sept. 22, 2020. This order, while confirming that training of the federal workforce to create an inclusive workspace is beneficial, also leads to a misguided perception of the purpose and outcomes of this type of training. In addition, it may have unintended ramifications on institutions receiving federal research funding.
Commentary in Gastroenterology
Rotonya Carr, Sandra Quezada and colleagues, on behalf of the AGA Governing Board, outline the current state and path forward: From Intention to Action: Operationalizing AGA Diversity Policy to Combat Racism and Health Disparities in Gastroenterology.
Watch AGA president's town hall on the AGA Equity Project
AGA President Bishr Omary, MD, PhD, invited Byron Cryer, MD, and Sandra Quezada, MD, MS, leaders of the AGA Equity Project advisory board, for an open discussion on AGA’s action plan to combat racism and health disparities in gastroenterology.
Advisory Board
CO-CHAIRS
Byron Cryer, MD, Professor of Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School
Sandra Quezada, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine
MEMBERS
John M. Carethers, MD, AGAF, Professor and Chair, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan
Rotonya Carr, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Pennsylvania Health System
Lukejohn Day, MD, AGAF, Associate Professor, University of California, San Francisco
Carlos R. Diaz, MD, Fellow, University of Miami
Lynn Grone, Vice President, Organizational Effectiveness, AGA Institute
Wendy Henderson, PhD, Professor, University of Connecticut
Antonio Mendoza-Ladd, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Texas-Tech University
Craig A. Munroe, MD, Associate Chief for Clinical Innovation, University of California, San Francisco
Kimberly M. Persley, MD, AGAF, Gastroenterologist, Texas Digestive Disease Consultants
STAFF LIAISON
Celena NuQuay, Senior Director, Member Relations and Constituency Programs, AGA Institute
