Vermont Racial Justice Alliance Outreach and Education Community Event

Turning the Curve on Systemic Racism: Building Back a Healthier Vermont

Earlier this year the Racial Justice Alliance's Joint Legislative Resolution "Racism Constitutes a Public Health Emergency in Vermont" was passed. This joint resolution commits the Legislature to "sustained and deep work of eradicating systemic racism throughout the State, actively fighting racist practices, participating in the creation of more just and equitable systems and coordinating work and participating in ongoing action, grounded in science and data, to eliminate race-based health disparities and eradicate systemic racism."

The American Public Health Association has stated, "These declarations are an important first step in the movement to advance racial equity and justice and must be followed by allocation of resources and strategic action." To move this work forward, the Vermont Racial Justice Alliance has launched a statewide Campaign, "Turning the Curve on Systemic Racism: Building Back a Healthier Vermont"

This presentation provides an overview of the Campaign and lays the important groundwork required to eradicate systemic racism – a proper understanding of what systemic racism is, how it was created, how it is sustained, and its impact on all of us. We will do this by; establishing a shared definition of "systemic racism; examining some of the history and current day realities that have built and continue to sustain systemic racism; and, exploring the extensive empirical quantitative data that illustrates the impact that systemic racism is having on Black and Brown people.

Campaign follow-on activities will include the release of guidance recommendations for businesses, agencies, municipalities and organizations; engagement with the faith community, state agencies, organizations and municipalities on this statewide outreach and education series; and, mini-summits with speakers and workshops.

The "Toward Freedom" Traveling Exhibit will be eon display at Fletcher Free Library during the event. Read more about the exhibit here: https://hampton.gov/3695/Toward-Freedom

"We now call on the Governor and the Vermont Supreme Court to stand with us with respective Proclamations and Declarations stating that race is a public health emergency."

Reverend Mark Hughes,
Executive Director
Vermont Racial Justice Alliance