b.julian@setonhill.

edu

July 17, 2021

President Joseph Biden

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Biden,

My name is Bailey L. Julian, and I am currently a student at Seton Hill University in

Greensburg, PA pursuing both a bachelor’s and master’s degree to become a Physician Assistant.
I write to you to discuss a pressing issue that is frequently seen across our beautiful nation. I'm
sure you are aware, but the increased amount of conflict regarding racial equality over that last
year and a half has definitely caused division between us Americans. Everybody feels the need to
validate themself and prove that their life matters. This issue doesn’t directly arise from a
political party, but it has been a part of our society ever since the days of slavery and even after it
was abolished by President Abraham Lincoln via the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1,
1863.

My request to you is to unite our divided nation and prove to everyone that they all have
worth because they are human. Currently, the battle between Black Lives Matter and All Lives
Matter aren’t productive because everyone is missing the one similarity that connects us all. We
are all American citizens. Regardless of the color of someone’s skin, they are just as much an
American citizen as everybody else. In the article “Racial and ethnic equality—time for concrete
action”, I read about The Lancet, a peer-reviewed publishing company, and their pledges to
increase diversity among their editorial advisers, peer reviewers, and authors. Something that
confuses me was the need for them to come out and make this pledge in the first place. Although
this pledge provides hope to the minorities who look to become a peer-reviewer or author, a
statement like this creates the idea that there is a division in our nation. It showcases that our
population is separated and adds to the idea that everyone fits into a certain group. A pledge like
this seems to miss the one thing that connects us all, being an American citizen. One of the
themes of the Catholic Social Teachings is Life and Dignity of the Human Person. Dignity, being
worthy of honor or respect. The Catholic Church proclaims that “every person is precious, and
that people are more important than things”, meaning that every life has value. Regardless of
skin color or ethnicity, everybody has value. A corporal work of mercy this issue ties into is to
shelter the homeless. The Catholic Social Teaching I discussed shows that every person has
value, so as an American and as a human, it is necessary to help the homeless because they are
just like you and me. In the book Race, Work, and Leadership: New Perspectives on the Black
Experience, there is a focus on people of color who have made it to the top. Most notably, former
President Barack Obama delivered a multi-billion-dollar stimulus package to the American
citizens during the Great Recession. Also, Oprah Winfrey and Robert Smith are some of the
wealthiest American entrepreneurs. This information should be in books showcasing all
American achievements, not just African American achievements. Books, articles, and especially
media posts have the greatest outreach to the American people. Creating unity in our nation
using these tools is the first step in ending racial inequality.

I would like to thank you for taking the time out of your day to listen to what I have to say. I
wish you great health as we near the end of this pandemic and I look forward to the nation being
reunited.

Sincerely,

Bailey L. Julian
b.julian@setonhill.edu