I find a lot of people do not understand that working in public health means contending with the effects of racism on a very direct level.

A thread …
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Racism is a social force that not only perpetuates but exacerbates the very priorities that public health seeks to address.
 
This is a fundamental truth that the available literature consistently highlights over and over.

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Due to racism, Black people experience significant health disparities in:
• access to care
• chronic conditions
• mental health
• preventive screenings

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And the work to overcome these disparities cannot just fall on PoC.

To all those who think that racism ended when Obama became president, you all need to help combat it.

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Any public health agenda that claims to be guided by social justice and equity BUT doesn't explicitly acknowledge racism, is complete TRASH.

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Confronting, analyzing, and dismantling racism is the responsibility of EVERY public health advocate.

It cannot just be the labour of those directly affected.

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Racism is a societal epidemic.

It contributes to deaths in virtually every sector that public health is responsible for over seeing.

It is complex.
It is insidious.

When people feel hesitant to acknowledge it, that only ensures that there are racialized health disparities.7/8

Public health is anti-racist work.

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