Summary:
In the 2 years since the inception of Black in Cancer, we have modeled an action-oriented commitment to improving Black representation across all levels of the cancer spectrum. We reflect on our successes and consider new ways to innovate and inspire the cancer community.
BACKGROUND
Black in Cancer (BIC) was founded in the summer of 2020, during the racial justice protests that swept across the globe. To cope with the tragedies of that summer, many Black professionals began forming “Black in X” groups to promote visibility and the sharing of resources with their respective fields on Twitter. Such a network for Black cancer stakeholders was evidently needed, because Black cancer researchers, clinicians, and patient advocates are all underrepresented in their respective fields. Black or African American workers make up 12% of the U.S. working population but represent just 9% of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workers. Dissected even further, only 3% of medical oncologists are Black and training programs such as oncology fellowships have only minimally increased between 2006 and 2018 (1). When we compare oncology specialties, Black physicians are also underrepresented in surgical oncology and gynecologic oncology (1–4). For researchers, this disparity is even more prominent, as only 1% of all professors in biology at U.S. institutions are Black (5). Studies show that Black researchers are about 55% less likely to receive NIH funding than white researchers (6). We formed BIC with the goal of addressing these issues and their symptoms in biomedicine.
At the onset of this organization following our inaugural BIC week, we published a perspective piece in Cancer Discovery in which we outlined our goals for the future of our organization (7). Based on that vision, BIC was split into three distinct programs, the Cancer Awareness Project (CAP), the Mentorship and Outreach Program (MOP), and the Sponsorships and Partnerships (SP) program. In this current perspective, we briefly reflect on the accomplishments of each of these programs and provide our vision for the years to come.
THE CANCER AWARENESS PROJECT
The Cancer Awareness Project was developed to address the unmet need of scientific and medical communication in the Black community. The saying “people who are closer to the problem are closer to the solution” speaks to this robust program. During our first year, we held virtual sessions in which we debunked cancer myths, provided insight on disease areas such as prostate and breast cancers, and promoted family communication around hereditary cancer. We participated in the FDA's National Black Family Cancer Awareness Week to raise awareness among the Black community about cancer health. Our goal is simple: unite our communities and foster environments where conversions about health are not taboo. By partnering with oncologists, patient advocates, and family mediators, we have surpassed our initial goals.
After 2 years of virtual programming, BIC hosted its first in-person conference in collaboration with Cancer Research UK (CRUK). A more detailed perspective on this is currently in preparation. CRUK has been a supporter of BIC since our inception. For our inaugural conference, CRUK provided logistics, whereas BIC determined the content. Such a unique and fruitful partnership led to an unforgettable conference. This inaugural in-person conference perfectly summarized the work our organization has been doing for 2 years. We were able to shine a light on clinical trial representation. Data show that clinical trials are comprised of fewer than 5% Black men and fewer than 2% Black women (8). Given the overrepresentation of Black patient mortality, Black clinical trial enrollment is particularly abysmal. Figures like these erode trust between the Black community and the biomedical community. BIC steps in to bridge knowledge and cultural gaps. We have provided a platform for prostate cancer and breast cancer survivors to share their stories and perspectives on clinical trial involvement, which inspires people within the community to seek more information for their own journeys. Looking forward, we will continue to educate the community through formal seminars and panels.
We want to meet the community where they are and bring in-person programming and events to our target audience. Cancer walks and fundraisers are great ways to raise both awareness and resources for these critical projects. Furthermore, we want to create resources for the community that simplify science jargon. We are developing an initiative in which we break down complex cancer health statistics to make them easily comprehensible to nonscientists. As we build on our past success, the Cancer Awareness Project will prove to be a pivotal movement not only for BIC but for our community.
THE MENTORSHIP AND OUTREACH PROGRAM
Summer research experience is critical for undergraduates who desire acceptance into medical school and graduate school or a job in life sciences after graduation. Many summer undergraduate research programs are highly competitive, which discourages Black students who lack extensive research experiences. Furthermore, many of these programs are advertised within close-knit communities, which prevents students who are not members of said communities from knowing about them. BIC is positioned at the nexus between Black undergraduate students, mentors of undergraduates, and prestigious cancer research institutions. Although we have neither lab space nor research faculty ourselves, we have a strong network that allows us to connect talented students with suitable programs.
The Mentorship and Outreach Program provides Black STEM trainees with various mentorship and career development opportunities. Students who are accepted into our program are paired with a mentor to provide career guidance, have access to BIC enrichment events, and are matched with suitable summer internship experiences at the end of the program. So far, our program has supported 28 students: 13 from the United Kingdom and 15 from the United States. Before the launch of the Mentorship and Outreach Program, we reached out to various partner institutions in the United States and the United Kingdom. We presented our program curricula to comprehensive cancer centers in the United States and CRUK. The support we received was exceptional, and many of our partner institutions agreed to create spots for BIC students or give special consideration to their applications. Although these relationships did not guarantee the student would get into the program, it helped to facilitate the process by breaking down the typical barriers to access. Many students in life sciences have parents who can connect them with competitive opportunities; BIC was able to fill that role for our students and level the playing field.
Our partnerships for the Mentorship and Outreach Program provide a model for institutions who are looking to diversify the biomedical workforce. BIC has an extensive network of Black scientists and allies who can help connect more Black undergraduate students with opportunities. Collaboration with minority-serving organizations, such as ours, is an efficient and effective way to enhance recruitment and retention of Black students. We offer visibility, cultural sensitivity, and understanding that help students feel a sense of belonging even as they enter other programs. Additionally, our network offers support to help them successfully complete their programs.
THE SPONSORSHIPS AND PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM
Following the inaugural virtual BIC week in 2020, the scientific community was excited about the work that our and other groups were doing. As a result, the Sponsorships and Partnerships program partnered with the Emerald Foundation on grant funding for Black scientists. Traditionally, organizations like the Emerald Foundation fund grant applicants through the development offices of academic institutions. In doing so, the applicant pool can lack diversity if the institution itself lacks diversity or the conscientiousness to nominate Black scientists. The objective of this partnership was simple: connect the BIC network with competitive funding opportunities for scientific research from the Emerald Foundation. This mutually beneficial relationship gave the Emerald Foundation a more diverse applicant pool while enhancing the status and credibility of BIC within the scientific community.
The first grant we offered was the BIC postdoctoral transition award. This award offers 3 years of funding with $75,000 in funding during the postdoctoral phase and $100,000 during the faculty transition phase. In addition, the grant sets aside money to support travel to the BIC in-person conference. During the first 2 years of the partnership, BIC and the Emerald Foundation have given out four postdoc awards, representing a total of 1 million dollars in research support for Black postdocs transitioning to faculty.
Support for Black professors is also needed, as Black researchers receive less grant funding from major health agencies than white researchers. In addition to the postdoc awards, we also partnered with the Emerald Foundation to give out a Distinguished Investigator Award and two Young Investigator awards. The Distinguished Investigator Award provides 3 years of funding at $150,000 per year, and the Young Investigator Award provides 3 years of funding at $100,000 per year. These are competitive but limited submission grants.
Our relationship with the Emerald Foundation provides a model for equitable grant funding. Research has proven that grant review processes are biased and do not predict success of the researcher, further contributing to disparities in funding (9–11). BIC's relationship with the Emerald Foundation is centered on supporting Black excellence in scientific research and combating the funding gaps between Black researchers and their majoritarian peers. BIC has developed a network based on trust and integrity, providing a more secure bridge between funding and Black scientists.
LOOKING AHEAD
BIC has been fortunate to work with powerful and dedicated partners. In just 2 years, we executed one in-person conference and two virtual conferences for BIC week, partnered on about 2 million dollars over 3 years to fund Black scientists, established a fiscal sponsorship, and launched our mentorship program. However, this success came with its fair share of challenges. In the generation of prioritizing work–life balance, this has been particularly challenging, as all of our executive committee members are academic trainees or hold careers within the industry. This will continue to be a challenge as we all balance our professional lives while operating BIC to its fullest potential. An additional challenge is the dearth of hands we have on deck. The organization is growing faster than we can keep up, and in order to handle the opportunities, programs, and partnerships to come, we will have to expand our team by recruiting volunteers to take the organization to the next level. Lastly, as we begin to plan for the 2023 BIC conference, the challenge is to have a U.S.-based meeting that lives up to the success of the 2022 conference.
Undoubtedly, we have been challenged more than we would have imagined 2 years ago, but each of these challenges has been an opportunity to learn, grow, and implement these lessons into strengthening the organization. One of our core principles is to integrate people from different fields and expertise in cancer and health. Most organizations focus on a singular objective, be it research, advocacy, or clinical trials. BIC bridges these critical junctures to foster collaboration and comprehension. Currently, the organization is run by our executive team out of the United States and the United Kingdom. Our roots are embedded here, though our reach has expanded across several African countries, Canada, and even Australia. This was evident at our inaugural BIC conference, in which researchers from these countries participated in our championing of diversification in the field. The Black diaspora is uniquely broad, and our goal is to capture this brilliance by incorporating more regions outside of our founding countries. We aim to do this by partnering with other diversity-focused STEM organizations on cancer-centric initiatives. We have already tested this strategy in year one by collaborating with nonprofits such as the Tiger Lilly Foundation, an organization focused on breast cancer education in Black women. Our hope is to build on these collaborations, sparking a domino effect of inspiration.
As we embark on our third year as an organization and reflect on our past successes and barriers, we have much to be proud of. In many ways, BIC has accomplished more to support Black scientists than many institutions with significantly more financial and administrative capacity. BIC is proud of the progress it has made so far to connect and empower Black cancer professionals. Nonetheless, the fight is not yet complete. Black people are still underrepresented in research while being overrepresented in cancer mortality. The cancer community is taking notice, and stakeholders from various spaces are investing in improving cancer health equity. We all play an integral part in the fight against cancer. From education to medical care to scientific discovery, it takes a village to address this global issue. BIC remains committed to being the voice and doing the work, and we will continue until the job is done.
Authors’ Disclosures
BIC is a nonprofit project for The Social Good Fund. BIC has received donations from Cancer Research UK, Fred Hutch, Roche, Tiger Lilly, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Damon Runyon, and other small-value donations from individuals. T. Martins reports grants from Cancer Research UK during the conduct of the study. S. Bonner reports grants from Cancer Research UK during the conduct of the study. No disclosures were reported by the other authors.