Racism is a Public Health Crisis: Reimagining and Redefining Public Safety in a Structure of State Sanctioned, Anti-Black Violence

“Violence” is often used to label the visible response of people who have endured traumatic experiences rooted in a system originally designed to deny the human rights of Black People. Unaddressed public policy, institutional and systemic oppression, and anti-Black racism, including physical violence against Black people, continues to preserve our government’s original intent. Challenging how we see “violence” and understanding who the beneficiaries are of government “safety protocols” is the critical, anti-racist work of health equity. Grassroots movements and innovative projects with equity frameworks redirect our focus toward root causes of disparities, disempowerment and disease while practicing communities of belonging. These, sometimes seen as unconventional, imposing and disruptive methods are actually the dismantling of unhealthy communities while laying the foundation for health transformation.

ORGANIZATIONS: 

Youth Speaks, Sacramento Area Congregations Together (SacACT),Building Healthy Communities / Boys and Men of Color Initiative (BHC/BMoC), Justice2Jobs Coalition (J2J), Black Child Legacy Campaign (BCLC), Decarcerate Sacramento (DS), MH First, , Youth Forward, California Urban Partnership (CalUP), Anti Police-Terror Project, Sacramento (APTP)