Remembering What Unites Us

At this turbulent moment in American history, we are reminded of the wise words offered by President Abraham Lincoln in 1861, who advised that the best way for the nation to navigate through a storm was to appeal to the better angels of our nature.  

As the nation struggles to move past the violent events at the U.S. Capitol this week, we believe it’s important to take a few moments to remember what unites us, not what divides. To be clear, AACN condemns the violence that occurred, white supremacy, injustice, and any other attempts to destroy our democracy. We also recognize the roles nurses can play in promoting social justice, inclusion, equity, and ethical behavior.

As academic nursing leaders, we share a commitment to sustaining healthy communities and being agents for positive change. We understand the power of compassion, resilience, and healing to realizing better days. The public has put their trust in nurses, and we must leverage this goodwill to help build bridges and restore order in our local communities and across the nation. 

We must not let the chaos and unrest that we all witnessed dim the promise of this new year. Now is the time for us to join together to focus on dispensing the COVID-19 vaccines and ushering in a post-pandemic future.
 

Susan Bakewell-Sachs, PhD, RN, FAAN         
Chair, Board of Directors 


 
 
Deborah Trautman, PhD, RN, FAAN 
President and Chief Executive Officer

Note: This statement has been amended on January 10, 2021.