Turning The Curve on Systemic Racism: Building Back a Healthier Vermont Campaign at the Richard Kemp Center
Join virtually here:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcodu-hpzssGdIoMZ-FYduhKaheM7Cirtks
The Vermont Racial Justice Alliance and the Vermont Student Anti Racism Network are partnering on the relaunch of a statewide campaign,"Turning the Curve on Systemic Racism: Building Back a Healthier Vermont."
This Statewide Campaign, inspired by the resolutions and declaration that racism is a public health emergency (or crisis) focuses on the commitments made by Burlington City Council, the City of Burlington, VRJA and dozens of organizations across the state and the General Assembly to eradicate systemic racism. The Campaign objective is to educate folks on the definition and root causes of systemic racism while providing agencies, organizations and municipalities the opportunity to press in and double down on this work, with programmatic, data driven and results based approaches.
The campaign will also provide opportunities for folks to become involved in ongoing organizing in advocating for municipal and State mitigation strategies, including policy, and community-based programs and services. During this campaign, an intergenerational group of leaders from VRJA and VSARN will travel around the state and facilitate in-person workshops on the history and current implications of systemic racism, its impact and what we can do about it.
To sign up to host a "Turning the Curve" session in your town, go here: https://forms.gle/nZ8wwsDnDLkD3oZ26
Background:
The historic June 2020, Racial Justice Through Economic and Criminal Justice Resolution resolved racism to be a citywide health crisis in Burlington. The following month, the Declaration that racism constitutes a public health emergency in Burlington and Chittenden County was signed by the Vermont Racial Justice Alliance (VRJA), the City of Burlington and dozens of other organizations. In April 2021 CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH declared racism a "serious public health threat that directly affects the well-being of millions of Americans and, as a result, affects the health of our entire nation." In May of 2021, the VRJA successfully completed its advocacy for a Vermont Joint Legislative Resolution that Racism Constitutes a Public Health Emergency.
This joint resolution and the declaration commits to "sustained and deep work of eradicating systemic racism throughout the State, actively fighting racist practices, and 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 that "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."