At Chacruna: Blinded by the White: Addressing Power and Privilege in Psychedelic Medicine

Genesee Herzberg and Jason Butler

As the field of psychedelic medicine gains momentum, the glaring underrepresentation of people of color in the movement is hard to miss. Psychedelic researchers, conference presenters, therapists, doctors, study participants, and patients are all largely White. The lack of racial diversity is a strong indication that the burgeoning field of psychedelic medicine is recapitulating the same systemic problems around accessibility and diversity that have long plagued the fields of medicine and mental health.  As White researchers and clinicians, we are intending to speak to other White people about an issue that many don’t think or talk much about. Unlike people of color, White people are not forced to contend with these issues; yet, the topic of racism is one that directly involves all of us, one that we participate in on a day-to-day basis, and have the responsibility to address in a direct and personal way... continue reading.