Dozens of cities and counties have passed similar declarations in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
On Wednesday, the City Council in Austin, Texas, passed a resolution declaring that racism is a “public health crisis.”
The council also passed an act put forth by Harper-Madison, the only Black member of the 11-person body, making June 19 a city holiday in honor of Juneteenth, a commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. A separate resolution also passed on Wednesday by the council states that consideration will be given to renaming areas in the capital linked to the Confederacy and white supremacy. All the proposals passed unanimously.
“We do know that health inequities at their very core are due to racism,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the APHA. “There’s no doubt about that.” “If not addressed it can cause many different health issues,” said Councilwoman Barbara Shanklin. “We should talk about how to get this out into the open and educate everyone about the physical and mental drawbacks of racism and discrimination in order to treat people fairly and with respect. When we do, we will be on the road to a healthier community.”
“We must have a new sense of urgency to make this declaration and do the hard work of dismantling racism and creating real transformation,” tweeted Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. “I look forward to partnering with Council on this work of declaring racism as a public health emergency.”
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