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May 15, 2024 Story by: Publisher
Joining a growing list of California city and county governments, Sonoma County has officially declared racism a public health crisis. The county’s board of supervisors unanimously passed the resolution on March 12, following a compelling presentation from Tina Rivera, the Director of the Sonoma County Department of Health Services (DHS).
Rivera, herself a Black woman, shared her personal experiences of discrimination and highlighted the challenges faced by Black residents in the county. Her emotional testimony underscored the urgency of addressing systemic racism and its detrimental effects on individuals’ physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Source: Blackvoicenews
This declaration aligns with Sonoma County’s ongoing efforts to promote racial equity, as outlined in its Five-Year Strategic Plan launched in March 2021. The plan includes a dedicated focus on Racial Equity and Social Justice to ensure fairness and equity across the county’s services and workforce.
The decision to declare racism a public health crisis was further bolstered by a 2021 data snapshot revealing stark disparities among communities of color in Sonoma County. For instance, Black residents have a life expectancy at birth ten years shorter than their white counterparts, according to the 2021 Portrait of Sonoma County.
Moreover, data from the DHS’s Community Health Dashboard highlighted alarming inequities, such as the significantly higher likelihood of Black and Hispanic/Latinx children living in poverty compared to white children in the county.
In response to these findings, the resolution mandates specific actions to address systemic inequality, including the adoption of a Health Equity Action Plan and Community Health Assessment. It also calls for sustained advocacy and funding for antiracist initiatives and the consistent collection of disaggregated demographic data.
Rivera commended the board for its commitment to equity and encouraged ongoing dialogue and accountability. She emphasized the importance of community-centered action in addressing the historic and ongoing harms of systemic racism.
Sonoma County’s resolution is part of a broader trend across California, where numerous jurisdictions have recognized racism as a public health crisis. Alex Reed and Candice Mays, researchers behind the Racism as a Public Health Crisis platform, emphasize the importance of such declarations as accountability tools for driving meaningful change.
While Sonoma County’s resolution signifies progress, Mays stresses the urgency for other jurisdictions to follow suit. Delayed action only prolongs the struggles faced by Black and other marginalized communities in accessing equitable opportunities and resources for healthy living.
With its declaration, Sonoma County joins a growing movement aimed at dismantling systemic racism and promoting health equity. only prolongs the struggles faced by Black and other marginalized communities in accessing equitable opportunities and resources for healthy living.
With its declaration, Sonoma County joins a growing movement aimed at dismantling systemic racism and promoting health equity.
