Dear County Commissioners,

We ask that you pass a resolution to declare racism a public health crisis. The power of naming racism a public health crisis is the first necessary step towards a holistic approach to begin the ongoing internal work to address individual and systemic racism through training and policy reform.

The following facts are astounding and downright egregious:

• According to multiple public health studies, Black Americans and people of color bear a disproportionate burden of adverse health outcomes, economic inequality, and criminal injustice due to systemic and institutional racism.
• Black Americans suffer from higher rates of diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and heart disease than White Americans.
• Communities of color have faced vast disparities in employment and educational opportunities, income and inherited family wealth. They are less likely to have affordable housing, housing security, quality schools, healthy food, and green spaces.

The pandemic of COVID-19 has further revealed the many disparities and inequities for all to see.

We cannot let this moment pass without getting into “good trouble” by joining the growing call for justice and meaningful policy change. It was the late James Baldwin who wrote, “Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.” In the clearest terms, it is the express intent of community members, faith leaders, and health care professionals, to imagine and create a more equal and just Hillsborough County for all people by having our Board of County Commissioners start with naming Racism as a Public Health Crisis.

Sincerely,