Dr. Jody Carrington

I didn't understand the true meaning of starting on third base until I started to serve.

I became a civilian member of our National Police Force.

And then I took my first job was on a locked psychiatric inpatient unit for kids.

And so hitters, kickers, biters, many of the kids were in care.

And in my privilege, not one time did I pause and say,

What happened here?

How come there is such racial disparity?

How come there's such financial disparity?

How come, right?

Why in my particular country right now, are there certain people, indigenous peoples, relegated to unfertile plots of land, what we call reservations?

Who made that decision?

When we all start in exactly the same place.

When we all end in exactly the same place.

When our DNA as human beings in this human race is 99.98% the same.

Race is a social construct.

And we did not ever talk about that.

So I feel like I was so lucky to be in a place where I would be exposed to things and be in a position to treat people who have experienced things that I cannot even fathom.

And as my career evolved, it became very clear to me that the only purpose, the only reason I'm here is to understand what this privilege has given me and that I better use it.

And that my kids will not be better than me.

I mean, they've got so much room if I think about all the ways that I needed to grow myself.