Shawnee County Racial Equity Impact Analysis Group - Declaration of Support for Racism as a Public Health Threat

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has declared that racism is a threat to our public health. Centuries of racism in the U.S. have caused unfair policies in housing, income, healthcare, education, public safety, transportation, and food access that prevent people of color from being healthy - Topeka/Shawnee County included. These centuries-old policies work negatively and together in ways that benefit the physical and mental health of white people over the physical and mental health of people of color. Confronting racism and racial inequities across this range of policies requires a broad and coordinated public health response. We ask you to join us in taking action. In April, the Shawnee County Health Department will submit a proclamation to the Topeka Mayor and the Shawnee County Commissioners requesting their formal support in declaring racism a public health crisis. This proclamation is a call to action. We encourage all people and organizations to begin taking the steps to dismantle systemic practices and policies that perpetuated racism.

It will take all of us together to eliminate the barriers that have led to poor health outcomes for communities of color. We are asking you to add your organization/name to our list of key community stakeholders that share the commitment to recognize racism as a public health crisis and commit to advocating for racial justice as a core element of policies, programs, and procedures.

Additionally, we ask that as we move forward with educating the community as a whole, that you use your social media platforms and other avenues of education to bring awareness to racism affecting your respected field. By using the hashtag #RacismIsAPublicHealthCrisis we can provide the community a way to follow this journey of growth and repair.

Please share this survey with your Shawnee County partners who may wish to support this effort with us.

To show support for this important proclamation, please provide individual or organizational information below.

Are you authorized to make this decision on behalf of your organization? If not, please click on the individual option to complete the survey and/or forward the survey to the authorized person within your agency.

2. Individual Contact Information:
Please fill in all appropriate fields.

First Name

Last Name

Title

Street Address (please include Apt/Suite/Office if applicable)

City

Zip

Email Address

Phone Number

2. Organization Contact Information:
Please fill in all appropriate fields.

Company Name

Street Address (please include Apt/Suite/Office if applicable)

City

Zip

Email Address (please include best contact for organization)

Phone Number (please include best contact for organization)

Company website (if applicable)