Dear Editor,

The healthcare community (doctors, therapists, etc.) who deal with conditions such as mental health and addictions believe the first step in the healing process is the recognition of a problem. Justice Ruther Bader Ginsberg (RBG) spent her career fighting for women’s rights. She encountered the same lack of recognition that a problem even existed. This issue of denial and lack of recognition extends to racism. Until the largest majority in this country believes institutional racism is real, we will never solve our cultural problems.

Rene Payne

Stanford