This chapter introduces the key history and context for this textbook. Far too many patients have encountered healthcare professionals who have dismissed their questions or suggestions, or worse, have been given health advice that is not right for who they are from a healthcare professional who does not understand who they are. In this chapter, we consider some of the history related to diversity in health professions education, with a focus on the United States and Canada. We then extend this to the field of simulation, considering the importance of this topic in the current cultural environment.