City Council declares racism a public health threat

COLUMBUS – Columbus City Council voted Monday night to declare racism a public health crisis, following similar declarations by the Franklin County Commissioners and Franklin County health department.

The resolution recommits council’s full attention to improving the quality of life and health of minority residents.

“The emotional, financial and health toll has generational implications. The burden of being Black in America is not only exploding in our bodies, it’s spilling into the streets. If we don’t begin treating this as a health crisis, our communities will never heal,” said council member Priscilla Tyson, who introduced the resolution.

The measure recognizes that African Americans are disproportionately impacted by challenges and inequities, including housing, crime, incarceration, education, employment, healthcare and public safety.

Mayor Andrew Ginther and the Columbus Board of Health supported the resolution.

The board resolution committed Columbus Public Health “to advocating for policies that achieve meaningful results to address the effects of interpersonal, institutional and structural racism.”

At the Statehouse, House Democratic Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) called for legislative reform to address racism, saying during a media conference call that House Democrats have introduced numerous bills to address inequality and racial disparity issues but they have languished in the Republican-controlled chamber.