Introducing Benjamin Mba, MBBS, of the Section of General Internal Medicine.
What does diversity, equity, and inclusion mean to you personally?
I consider diversity, equity, and inclusion to represent a value system that should resonate with the moral compass within everyone. A value system we should all embrace and aspire to. DEI is not simply a movement or a phase; it is a wake-up call to humanity, an appeal to the best of our nature. It is an invitation to free ourselves from the shackles of our evolutionary tribal mentality that has wreaked havoc over centuries, to evolve truly. As to my lived experience, I consider myself a testament to the benefits of diversity. Born to a white Australian Jewish mother of Lithuanian and Scottish ancestry and a Black Christian Nigerian father, I grew up in Africa, where I studied medicine. I then moved to the United Kingdom for postgraduate training in internal medicine and married a woman from Spain. DEI has meaning to me on many levels; emotionally, psychologically, pragmatically, and societally. Emotionally it feels virtuous. Psychologically there is a sense of acceptance, belonging, visibility, and being heard, not being prejudged on the most trivial of human characteristics—a sense of being valued as an equal member of the human race. Pragmatically, DEI represents equal opportunities independent of past individual or group outcomes, an unhindered ability to strive for excellence in any endeavor, and a system that aims to provide equity in health, educational, and judicial outcomes for all. DEI seeks to correct centuries of unanimously accepted injustices. Societally speaking, striving for diversity, equity, and inclusion is simply just.
Why do you value diversity?
I believe that diversity of perspectives, cultures, and experiences makes all communities stronger and safer. Diversity creates a sum that is far greater than the sum of its individual components. Diversity fosters compassion, empathy, and open-mindedness, which in turn helps us eliminate our implicit biases and helps us cultivate respect for each other. Diversity enables cross-cultural friendships; we get to see each other as we really are, humans that experience the same range of emotions and aspire to thrive physically, emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually. Diversity of talents and skills helps us develop a healthy sense of humility, eliminates a sense of entitlement, and incentivizes us to seek mutually beneficial collaboration.
My background has imprinted the beauty and strength of diversity within me; the value of courage, resilience, sacrifice, and the importance of giving back to current and future generations. I appreciate the moral obligation to foster inclusion and diversity always in life’s little and big things.
E pluribus unum, “one out of many,” appears on the Great Seal, a traditional motto chosen by the founding fathers of the United States: out of several states, one country. This motto also represents the diversity that built this country as its population grew: out of many peoples and cultures, one people emerged, the people of the United States of America. Out of many communities, one larger community emerged from all of us. There are no firsts among equals enshrined in the constitution or under the law. Our diversity is our strength. In these contemporary times, I define community as a group of individuals that are inclusive and can harness the strengths of diversity to positively shape the future.
I emerged from a lineage of diverse ethnicities, cultures, and religions. E pluribus unum, “one out of many.” I am this one, this whole one. This is my identity, my strength, and my community, and I strive to live up to the legacy and values of the many that have brought me to this point. This is why I value diversity. I am confident we can all contribute to propagating the importance and strength of diversity and inclusion at Yale and beyond. Equity begins with everyone.
Why should an academic setting be equal and inclusive?
Nowhere is diversity and inclusion more critical than in an institution of learning. A platform for the exchange of ideas, perspectives, skills, expertise, and cultures in a safe and intellectually open environment. This ultimate bedrock for progress has a tremendous impact on the world and our civilization at large. For in many ways, universities, labs, and centers of excellence are the cutting edge of our evolutionary march in the realms of the sciences, arts, culture, governance, jurisprudence, medicine, agriculture, climate control, and genetic science, among others. The student body that interacts within these walls of learning will constitute the DEI change agents for the future. If we can all genuinely embrace diversity and inclusion in these centers of learning, our limits will fall beyond the skies.
What do you look forward to most?
I look forward to continued DEI success in several domains: 1. To a more equitable and inclusive environment for academic and leadership advancement for faculty. 2. A more robust mentoring structure for junior URiM and women faculty members. 3. Incentive programs to retain and mentor our URiM trainees as faculty across all specialties. 4. More engagement with New Haven community leaders, high schools, and higher institutions of learning to establish pipelines from our local community into the Yale University system. 5. Continued outreach to Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic Serving Institutions to recruit URiM candidates into all our training programs. 6. Ensuring significant departmental staff representation on the Diversity Committee.
In just over a week that I have been here, I appreciate that the Department of Medicine and Graduate Medical Education at YSM and YNHH have created a robust structure and made significant strides in fostering DEI. The department's Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Internal Medicine (ODEIM) is probably the most structured and resourced in the country. I applaud the leadership of the YSM Department of Medicine, the GME, and YNHH for their commitment to DEI. I have experienced firsthand the outstanding work, ideas, commitment, projects, and vision of the ODEIM and Diversity Council members and working groups. The GME staff team is clearly dedicated to ensuring the success of our diverse group of trainees. I could not have asked for a better team of colleagues to work alongside. I am excited about what we can achieve at YSM and YNHH.
The Department of Internal Medicine’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Internal Medicine knows that diversity, equity, and inclusion is critical to our mission; that providing a safe, welcoming environment for people of all backgrounds results in beneficial diversity of thought; and believes that having a diverse team enhances our ability to provide excellent clinical care, research, and medical education.