Facing Race Week

 

FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES

NWU Race Awareness Week 2021

 

Our eyes speak their own language, above a masked nose and mouth.

 

 

Health Sciences central theme for 2021:

Binocular vision increases awareness

Humans are largely binocular beings, with regard to vision. We have the ability to maintain visual focus on an object with both eyes.

A single three-dimensional image is created, greatly improving vision. Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic,
we have seen and experienced various challenges and we cannot deny the impact of it on our health and on the economy.

We say:

“Health and the economy together give us binocular vision. When either is affected, there are consequences.
When both is appreciated, hope is created, and healing occurs.

There are still large inequalities in South Africa, in terms of access to health services and ensuring we have an inclusive economy for everyone.

We all need to ask ourselves how we can become actively involved in better opportunities for those who have been disadvantaged.”

 

Binocular vision disorders

These are conditions where the eyes are unable to align properly. This causes overcorrection or overcompensation for the misalignment.

The consequence is eye strain because the person is constantly trying to re-align the eyes to eliminate blurriness and double vision.

While this is a medical condition, it can also be a powerful image for how important it is for us engage as health practitioners,
with the importance of race awareness.

Take a moment and think…

What influences your binocular vision? 

Disorder

Medical Symptoms

Points to reflect on?

Potential Prescriptions?

Misalignment of eyes

Blurriness and double vision

Do we have misperceptions or ignorance of other races / ethnicities / cultures?

 

Expand your vision by respecting diversity.

Actively engage with people of different races, ethnicities and cultures.

Overcorrection or Overcompensation

Eye strain due to muscle fatigue.

 

Losing your individual voice because of structural inequalities.

Appreciating diversity in all its different forms.

Recognizing the inequalities that exist and organizing to change that.

Monocular vision

Lack of 3D and depth vision.

Limits field of vision.

Cannot appreciate bigger picture.

The importance of focusing on the intersection of health and the economy and race.

Equity.

Equality.

Verify information before you react.

Be open to really listening to each other.

Cracked lenses

Disturbed vision.

Picture unclear and fragmented.

What previous experiences have shaped your lived reality.

Take time to reflect.

Replace your cracked lens with an Ubuntu lens.