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On first anniversary of George Floyd's murder, "Racism is still a pressing public health crisis that needs our attention now,” APHA says

Date: May 25 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Media Relations

“One year ago today, we witnessed the murder of George Floyd with horror, shock and outrage; a tragic result of police violence too long overlooked in our nation.

While we continue to mourn the loss of Floyd, we hope that the recent conviction over his killing is a signal of increasing accountability for police misconduct. We recognize the incremental progress our society has made in the past year, which ranges from growing action to address racism as a public health crisis and racial equity reforms within our institutions and culture. We also need to address the problems we know exist within law enforcement, as reflected in APHA’s call to Congress urging support for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

Despite these drives for change, however, we still have much work before us. 

Persistent structural racism continues to plague our country and shake our public health infrastructure to its core. This is especially the case as we find ourselves on the heels of a pandemic that has disproportionately taken the lives of people of color, and as Black and Hispanic Americans are left behind in vaccination efforts. 

The systemic inequities that give way to these massive health disparities are what APHA and the rest of the public health community works to eliminate every day. We will continue to empower all those committed to social change and racial justice that has been inspired on an unprecedented level over this past year."  

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The American Public Health Association champions the health of all people and all communities. We are the only organization that combines a nearly 150-year perspective, a broad-based member community and the ability to influence federal policy to improve the public’s health. Learn more at www.apha.org.