Racism is a public health crisis
The killing of George Floyd and the disproportionate impact that COVID-19 has had on people of color are only the two latest examples of how structural racism can lead to devastating outcomes. Harvard Chan School stands together and is committed to helping fight this longstanding racism. The information and resources below highlight work from members of the Harvard Chan School community aimed at addressing racism and, ultimately, at helping shape a fairer, more just, and healthier world.
A Statement from Dean Michelle A. Williams
Sections:
Op-eds
To tobacco companies, Black lives don’t matter
The COVID-19 pandemic shows why we must—and how we can—end racial injustice in health
Racism is a deadly virus, too: A public health defense of these mass protests
Racism is killing black people. It’s sickening them, too.
Protest, demand change — but, please, put on your mask
Protecting hungry children during the fight for racial justice
News
Opinion: States should move to decriminalize drug use
States across the U.S. should consider following the lead of Oregon, which recently passed a ballot initiative decriminalizing the personal possession of all drugs, according to Harvard Chan School's Mary Bassett.
Attention, doctors: Here’s what an antiracist approach would look like
Four experts, including one from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, proposed several ways that the medical community can adopt an antiracist approach to clinical care.
A call for scientists to fight health inequity
A panel discussion focused on health disparities and the work of the Poor People’s Campaign, a nonpartisan social justice movement that mobilizes low-income people to be agents of social change.
Opinion: Anti-racist efforts in academia must be authentic, not tokenistic
As academic institutions grapple with systemic racism following the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other Black Americans, they need to do more than tick off a list of surface-level actions.
How the 2020 election might shape U.S. health policy
Two Harvard Chan School experts explored the implications of the 2020 election for the future of U.S. health policy in a special report in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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In focus
Q&A: Turning the words ‘racism is a public health crisis’ into action
Q&A: COVID-19 pandemic highlights longstanding health inequities in U.S.
Events
Voices in Leadership During Crises: Michelle Williams & Jeffery Sánchez
Mental Health and Wellness for Students of Color: Transitioning to College
