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Day 14: Racism is a Public Health Crisis
Cornell Health offers insight into the growing number of cities and counties - more than 100, up from 7 last year - that have declared racism as a public health crisis. "Recent events have once again brought into sharp relief the depth of systemic racism in the U.S., with several high-profile killings of Black Americans at the hands of police officers and the resulting national and international protests. Amid the outrage and pain related to these acts of overt racism and violence, a growing number of local and state government leaders, as well as health organizations around the nation, are affirming racism as a serious public health crisis.

Positioning the longstanding issue of racism as a public health crisis is not just a matter of semantics. Framing racism as a public health issue compels organizations and governmental units across the country to address the crisis in the broad, systemic ways that other threats to public health have been addressed over time. These can include strategic initiatives in policies, practices, enforcement, education, and support services."

Today's Challenge dives deeper into these recent calls to action.
TODAY’S CHALLENGE:

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This Summer, student research lead to the AMA making formal recommendations to address the reality of Racism as an Urgent Threat to Public Health. Read more about the new guidance.
As Black, Indigenous, and communities of color continue to be disproportionately affected by COVID-19, Rolling Stones examines a broken healthcare system through the eyes of a local healthcare worker on the front lines of addressing racism as a public health crisis.
Racism is a declared public health issue in 145 cities and counties across 27 states. USA today charts the growing support for this declaration and asks, now what happens?
On July 22nd, 2020, the LA County Board of Supervisors formally adopted the Anti-Racist Policy Agenda, authored by then Supervisor and current LA City Councilmember Mark Ridley Thomas. This progressive initiative works to address systemic racism through an Anti-Racist Countywide Agenda, which includes a focus on healthcare. This recently-passed policy will govern and guide LA County to fight racism in all its present forms, including racism that disproportionately targets Black residents.

Building upon the momentum of cities and counties declaring racism as a public health crisis, YWCA Glendale will lead the local implementation of YWCA USA's Stand Against Racism social media campaign April 22-25, 2021. Stay connected with the social links at the bottom of this e-mail to receive campaign content on Declarations to Change: Addressing Racism as a Public Health Crisis, which will focus on addressing systemic racism from a public health perspective, raising awareness about the role public health reform has in uprooting structural inequity in communities of color.
735 East Lexington Drive
Glendale, CA 91206
Phone: 1-(818) 242-4155
YWCA is on a mission to eliminate racism and empower women