Our task now is to keep the nation from falling back into the somnolence of racism denial.

To date, 146 jurisdictions (53 counties, 88 cities, 5 state-level) in 28 states have formally declared that racism is a public health crisis (see list at https://www.apha.org/topics-and-issues/health-equity/racism-and-health/racism-declarations).

4 KEY MESSAGES when naming racism:

1) Racism exists
2) Racism is a system
3) Racism saps the strength of the whole society
4) We CAN ACT to dismantle racism

HOW IS RACISM OPERATING HERE?

Thru structures/policies/practices/norms/values which are the elements of decision-making:

STRUCTURES: the who, what, when, and where of decision-making, ESPECIALLY who is at the table and who is not, and what is on the agenda and what is not

POLICIES: the written how of decision-making

PRACTICES and NORMS: the unwritten how of decision-making

VALUES: the why

We just rejoin our efforts toward a National Campaign Against Racism with 3 tasks:

1) Name racism: say the whole word
2) Ask “How is racism operating here?”: examine the elements of decision-making
3) Organize and strategize to act: collective action is power

@ShaliniPammal @dr_msharma @AmmahStarr @michellemorse
@atychen @alikhan28 @vivek_murthy @davechokshi @DrOniBee @uche_blackstock @RheaBoydMD @EbonyJHilton_MD @meganranney @choo_ek @celinegounder @darakass @MDaware @Craig_A_Spencer @ChaseTMAnderson @LashNolen