In San Bernardino County (50% Latino), the Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 this week to make it California's first county to adopt a resolution to declare racism as a public health crisis, the L.A. Times reports. The resolution recognizes that racism "creates unfair disadvantages to some individuals and communities" and "results in disparities in family stability, health and mental wellness, education, employment, economic development, public safety, criminal justice and housing." In addition, the resolution commits to action, according to the report: Enhance diversity in the county workforce;
Study existing county policies and practices "through a lens of racial equality to promote and support efforts that prioritize health for people of color";
Plan collaborations ...
Since the founding of this country, Latinos, African-Americans, and all people of color have experienced harm at the hands of an unjust system. With the death of George Floyd at the hands of those meant to protect and serve, millions have taken to the streets to protest systemic racism across the U.S. Latinos, who are experiencing a rising burden of hate crimes, discrimination, and anti-immigrant sentiment, have joined in the Black Lives Matter cause to advocate for change — not just in African-American neighborhoods, but in all communities of color. “It’s not just black people being murdered by police. Hispanics are dying, too,” Fernando Garcia, executive director of the Border Network for Human Rights (BNHR), told El Paso news station WWLP 22. “It’s not only one bad ...
In a move that shows how social movements can address local health, Black Lives Matter advocates are helping push for a grocery store in a food desert in Oklahoma City (14.6% Black, 19.2% Latino). The advocates brought a demand for a store to city leaders. They met with Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, Homeland grocery store President and CEO Marc Jones, and economic developers to discuss plans for building the 30,000-square-foot store to a local food desert on the Northeast side of the city, according to Patrina Adger of KOCO News. The area's only grocery store closed down about a year ago. This left neighbors with little access to fresh fruits and vegetables. "Obviously it's just this huge unmet need [for healthy food options] for a number of years," Jones of Homeland told ...
Racism is a public health crisis. Decades of racism-infused social, economic, and political systems have led to inequitable communities. These areas face higher burdens of stress, disease, and premature death. Now, amid U.S. protests for racial/ethnic and social justice, city leaders are creating resolutions that declare racism a public health crisis and commit to action. Download the free Salud America! “Get Your City to Declare Racism a Public Health Crisis Action Pack.” The Action Pack will help you get input from local social justice groups and advocates of color, start a conversation with city leaders, and build local support for a resolution to declare racism a public health issue along with a commitment to take action to change policies and practices. GET THE ...
Unlike a pandemic or emergency, there is no epidemiological definition for public health crisis. Experts at the Boston University School of Public Health tried to solve this. They explored the distinction between immediate and important and how politics, perceived risk, and affected groups shape the concept of a crisis. For example, they juxtaposed the number of deaths caused by terrorism and by gun violence with action taken by the U.S. government. Between 2001 and 2013, 3,380 Americans were killed by terrorism and 406,496 Americans were killed by firearms on U.S. soil; yet the U.S. spent trillions on the War on Terror and failed to pass gun control legislation. They conclude that people often confuse the immediate and the important, and that the important often fails to receive ...
Systemic racism makes it harder for Latinos and other people of color to get healthcare, housing, transportation, education, employment, healthy food, safe treatment by police, and more. We need solutions to end racial/ethnic injustice. Let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, June 16, 2020, to discuss how to address racial/ethnic injustice and discuss clear, measurable strategies and actions to combat racial/ethnic disparities in housing, public health, education, and more! WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: Addressing Racial/Ethnic Injustice
TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, June 16, 2020
WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues
HOST: @SaludAmerica
CO-HOSTS: UnidosUS (@WeAreUnidosUS), America’s Promise Alliance (@AmericasPromise), CommonHealth Action ...
Systemic racism makes it harder for Latinos and other people of color to get healthcare, housing, transportation, education, employment, healthy food, safe treatment by police, and more. How can cities and states take a meaningful step to address racism? Declare racism a public health crisis. That’s what cities and counties in Ohio are doing, with a commitment to: Incorporate educational efforts to dismantle racism.
Review all portions of codified ordinances with a racial/ethnic equity lens.
Prioritize policies that will have the most beneficial health impact on people of color.
Train elected officials, staff, funders and grantees on workplace biases and how to mitigate them. “Through race-conscious policy-making, we’ve got to unwind the generations of ...
On April 30, protesters, many with guns and without face masks, entered Michigan’s state capitol to resist stay-home orders amid coronavirus, resist mask-wearing, and demand businesses reopen. “Infectious disease physicians and public health officials publicly condemned these actions and privately mourned the widening rift between leaders in science and a subset of the communities that they serve,” reads an open letter signed by 1,288 public health professionals, infectious disease professionals, and community stakeholders across the country. Then, when George Floyd was killed by a police officer May 25, protesters, many unarmed and wearing face masks, took to the streets to promote racial justice. This time, public health professionals responded differently. The noted ...
People around the country are joining together and speaking out about systemic racism, police brutality, and the unhealthy culture that passive racism has cultivated in America. In fact, more people are supporting the #BlackLivesMatter movement than ever before. In light of these events, we are aiming to have a different conversation for today’s episode: How everyday individuals can act to address these tragedies and the system of which they are a symptom. Check out this discussion on the Salud Talks Podcast, Episode 33: "Black Lives Matter"! WHAT: A #SaludTalks discussion about the murders of Black Americans at the hands of systemic injustice.
Co-Hosts: Tenoch Aztecatl, the Video Producer of Salud America!, and Josh McCormack, Digital Content Curator at Salud ...
