Ithaca, N.Y.-based Cayuga Medical Center issued an apology after reportedly displaying an offensive flag during the city's annual chili cook-off on Feb. 9, The Ithaca Voice reports.
The hospital said in a Feb. 13 statement that the flag, which displayed a drawing of a dark-skinned man with the phrase "Medicine Man Chili," has been used by the hospital for the past seven years. However, after the image went viral on social media, with several community members voicing their concern over the image and calling it racist, the hospital said it will no longer use the image and that "it is not reflective of our values."
The hospital said it will also hire an external professional to assess the facility's cultural sensitivity and develop an action plan involving equity and inclusion training for employees to foster an inclusive culture of respect.
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