REFERENCE TITLE: racism; public health crisis

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-fifth Legislature

First Regular Session

2021

SCR 1017

Introduced by

Senators Quezada: Alston, Mendez; Representative Cano

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Proclaiming racism to be a public health crisis and affirming a commitment to end racism and improve health outcomes in communities of color.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Whereas, race is a social construction with no biological basis; and

Whereas, racism is a social system with multiple dimensions.  Individual racism is internalized or interpersonal, while systemic racism is institutional and structures opportunity and assigns value based on the social interpretation of how one looks that unfairly disadvantages some individuals and communities, unfairly advantages other individuals and communities and saps the strength of the whole society by wasting human resources; and

Whereas, racism causes persistent racial discrimination in housing, education, employment and criminal justice; and

Whereas, an emerging body of research demonstrates that racism is a social determinant of health, and more than 100 studies have linked racism to worse health outcomes; and

Whereas, communities of color are disproportionally impacted by social determinants of health, such as increased exposure to environmental contaminants, poor air quality, lack of safe places to walk, bike or run and inadequate health education; and

Whereas, a wealth of medical research suggests that racism plays an important role in the fact that African American women are more likely than any other race to give birth to premature babies; and

Whereas, Arizona Department of Health Services data shows that the infant mortality rate among African Americans in Arizona is significantly higher than the national average; and

Whereas, immigration policies that sanction institutional practices of discrimination, such as the ethno-racial profiling and mistreatment sanctioned by Arizona law, are forms of structural racism and everyday violence; and

Whereas, studies suggest that immigration laws that militarize communities and lead to everyday violence exacerbate racial health disparities; and

Whereas, the American Public Health Association launched a National Campaign Against Racism; and

Whereas, this state's responsibilities to address racism include reshaping our discourse and agenda so that we all actively engage in racial justice work; and

Whereas, while there is no epidemiologic definition of "crisis," the health impact of racism clearly rises to one proposed definition: "The problem must affect large numbers of people, it must threaten health over the long-term and it must require the adoption of largescale solutions."

Therefore

Be it resolved by the Senate of the State of Arizona, the House of Representatives concurring:

1.  That the Members of the Legislature proclaim racism to be a public health crisis affecting our entire society.

2.  That the Members of the Legislature commit to working to create equity and justice-oriented governance.

3.  That the Members of the Legislature commit to developing a work plan that includes educational efforts to address and dismantle racism, expand state personnel's understanding of racism and how racism affects individual and population health and provide tools to assist personnel to engage actively and authentically with communities of color.

4.  That the Members of the Legislature support policies that improve health in communities of color and local, state and federal initiatives that advance social justice.