Sign-on: Racism is a Public Health Crisis in Wisconsin

Years of work led by grassroots groups, community-based organizations, government agencies, academic leaders, and many others have laid a strong foundation to address racial inequities in Wisconsin. In October 2017, the Mobilizing Action Toward Community Health (MATCH) Group, of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, convened statewide partners at the inaugural Healthiest State Agenda Setting Meeting. The convening supported the collective identification of six statewide health equity priorities, one of which was to declare racism a public health emergency. In May 2018, the Wisconsin Public Health Association (WPHA) passed a resolution declaring that racism is a public health crisis in Wisconsin and committed to taking action. Building on this work, several partner organizations have worked together to transfer the WPHA resolution content to this Racism is a Public Health Crisis Sign-On. The goal is for organizations and individuals to sign-on to the declaration and commit to actions that are tailored to their specific contexts.

Sign-on

Sign on to Declare Racism as a Public Health Crisis in Wisconsin

We agree that Racism is a Public Health Crisis and commit to take urgent action because:

Race is a social construction with no biological basis.
Racism is a social system with multiple dimensions: individual racism is internalized or interpersonal and systemic racism is institutional or structural, and is a system of structuring opportunity and assigning 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 through the waste of human resources.
Racism causes persistent racial discrimination in housing, education, employment and criminal justice, and an emerging body of research demonstrates that racism is a social determinant of health.
More than 100 studies have linked racism to worse health outcomes.
In Wisconsin, the highest excess death rates exist for African Americans and Native Americans at every stage in the life course and our infant mortality rate for infants of non-Hispanic black women is the highest in the nation.
The American Public Health Association (APHA) launched a National Campaign Against Racism.
Healthiest Wisconsin 2020 states that, “Wisconsin must address persistent disparities in health outcomes and the social, economic, educational and environmental inequities that contribute to them.”
Public health’s responsibilities to address racism include reshaping our discourse and agenda so that we all actively engage in racial justice work.
While there is no epidemiological definition of “crisis,” the health impact of racism clearly rises to the definition proposed by Galea: “The problem must affect large numbers of people, it must threaten health over the long-term, and it must require the adoption of large scale solutions.”

Declaration Language and Action Commitments

See the WPHA Resolution for full declaration and citations.

(See also the Racism and Health Suggested Resources from the Wisconsin Public Health Association.)

Organizational Signers and Actions List

As of May 3, 2021 the following organizations have signed on to the Racism is a Public Health Crisis in Wisconsin Declaration:

Access Community Health Centers
Access Midwifery, LLC
Achieve Brown County
ACLU of Wisconsin
AES Consulting Firm
Aging and Disability Professionals Association of Wisconsin (ADPAW)
Aging and Disability Resource Center of Brown County
Appleton Health Department
The Arc Wisconsin
Bellin Health Systems, Inc.
Birthing Project USA – Southeast Wisconsin
Boys and Girls Club of Greater Green Bay
Boys and Girls Clubs of Sheboygan County
Brown County Oral Health Partnership
Brown County United Way
Campus Compact for Wisconsin
Casa ALBA Melanie Hispanic Community Resource Center of Green Bay
Center for Applied Theatre
Center for Community Healing
Center for Patient Partnerships
Center for Resilient Cities
Center of Urban Population Health
Central Rivers Farmshed, Inc.
City of Appleton
City of Green Bay
City of Madison
Collaborative Center for Health Equity, University of Wisconsin-Madison
The Community-Academic Aging Research Network
Community Relations Social Development Commission
County of Brown
Dane County Health Council
Dean Health Plan
Democratic Party of Wisconsin
EQT By Design, LLC
Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin
Florence County Health Department
Gateway Technical College
Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources, Inc.
Green Bay Area Public School District
Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin
healthTIDE
iLoveKickboxing
JONAH of the Chippewa Valley
Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Journey Mental Health Center
Kenosha County Democratic Party
Kenosha County Division of Health
Kenosha County Division of Workforce Development
Kids Forward
La Clinica de los Campesinos, Inc., Family Health La Clinica
Latter-Day Saint Student Association (LDSSA)
Lumos Doula Services, LLC
Madison Metropolitan School District
Maroon Calabash
Meadowood Health Partnership
Medical College of Wisconsin
Medical College of Wisconsin Department of Family & Community Medicine
Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) Rural Medicine Interest Group
Middleton Outreach Ministry
Milwaukee County
Milwaukee Men’s Health Referral Network
Mobilizing Action Toward Community Health (MATCH), UW Population Health Institute
Morgridge Center for Public Service
Motivf Corporation
NAACP Wisconsin Conference of Branches
N.E.W. Community Clinic
Ninjas for Health
Nurturing Diversity Partners (Jackson-Kaplan Consulting LLC)
One Dream Team GB
OutReach LGBTQ Community Center
Parents Advocating for Greendale Equity
Physicians for Social Responsibility Wisconsin
The Privilege Institute
Public Health Madison and Dane County
Quartz
Racine Educators United
Richland FIT
The Road Home Dane County
RSVP of Dane County, Inc.
Saturday Clinic for the Uninsured
Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program
SSM Health – St. Mary’s Hospital
SSM Health – Wisconsin Region
Stable Life, Inc.
St. Joe’s Accountability Coalition
St. John the Evangelist Homeless Shelter
Timpano Group
UBUNTU Research & Evaluation
Ujima United
United for Diversity, Fond du Lac County
United Way of Dane County
Unity Point Health – Meriter
University Health Services, UW-Madison
University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center
University of Wisconsin Division of Extension Human Development and Relationships Institute
University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, College of Nursing & Health Sciences
University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension, Health and Well Being Institute
University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing
University of Wisconsin-Madison Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute
University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
University of Wisconsin Prevention Research Center
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Urban League of Racine and Kenosha
UW Division of Extension
UW Extension African American Employee Resource Group
UW Health
UW Health Innovation Program
UW ICTR Neighborhood Health Partnerships Program
UW-Madison Master of Public Health Program
UW-Madison Master of Public Health Student Organization
UW Preventive Medicine Residency Program
Vivent Health
Volunteer Center of Brown County
Wauwatosa Health Department
We All Rise: African American Resource Center, Inc.
WellFirst Health
Wello
Wingra School
Winnebago County Health Department
Wisconsin Aging Advocacy Network (WAAN)
Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health
Wisconsin Area Health Education Centers (AHEC)
Wisconsin Association of Local Health Departments and Boards (WALHDAB)
Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (WIAAP)
Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Wisconsin Counties Association
Wisconsin Environmental Health Network
Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice
Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals
Wisconsin Guild of Midwives (WGOM)
Wisconsin Health Literacy, A Division of Wisconsin Literacy, Inc.
Wisconsin Health Professionals For Climate Action
Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce
Wisconsin Mujer, LLC
Wisconsin Office of Rural Health
Wisconsin Partnership Program
Wisconsin Physicians for a National Health Program
Wisconsin Public Health Association (WPHA)
Wisconsin Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Association
Wood County WIC
Wood County Health Department
YWCA Greater Green Bay
YWCA Madison

Who: Individuals and Organizations who have signed on to the Racism is a Public Health Crisis Declaration

What: Monthly calls to support a growing community of practice to provide space for discussion and reflection on different topics, including:

- Challenges and successes on the action steps laid out in the Declaration sign-on
- Learning from organizations committed to racial equity, anti-racist practices, and health equity
- Emerging topics across Wisconsin

Where: Online, using zoom. For information on how to download or use Zoom, please refer to the following website: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/206175806-Top-Questions?flash_digest=d978e4fad21ed6143fefb6c951db74d06aaa9fdc.

When: Every month for 1 hour and 15 minutes, rotating days and times

Why: We believe that relationships drive strong equity work, and that creating a community of practice will continue to advance the work laid out in the declaration. We also believe that each of us brings our own unique experiences with us, and that when examined and shared, these experiences can often further our own equity work as individuals, and as members of organizations and systems, and together we can create a healthier and more equitable Wisconsin. Finally, we believe that radically caring for ourselves and one another and sharing deeply and personally with one another are incredible gifts that help create a strong community of practice.

Community of Practice Call Schedule

Month	Date and Time	Topic	RSVP Google Form
August	Thursday, August 20 3:00-4:15pm	Organizational Spotlight: Naomi Takahashi from UW Health
September	Monday, September 21 6:00-7:15pm	Two weeks before the tragic brutality against Jacob Blake, Kenosha County Board passed the Racism is a Public Health Crisis Declaration. We will be speaking with Jen Feirhiet from Kenosha County Health and Nina Taylor from Kenosha Division of Workforce Development about what it means to have made this declaration and what lies ahead for Kenosha county.
October	Wednesday, October 21 3:15-4:30pm	We are excited to talk with Vayong Moua, Director of Health Equity Advocacy at Blue Cross-Blue Shield Minnesota.
November		Instead of holding a separate Community of Practice in November, we are encouraging those of you who have signed on to the Declaration to join us at the virtual Pre-Conference to Toward 1 Wisconsin on November 11 from 12:00-4:30pm. Plan to feel inspired, motivated and challenged to move racial equity within your spheres of influence. We are committed to creating equitable spaces where everyone can participate fully; if you need a scholarship, please contact info@wipps.org.
December	Wednesday, December 16 5:30-6:45pm	Confirming speaker — info coming soon.

Racism Declaration Action Toolkit

The purpose of this toolkit is to provide resources that aid organizational action to advance racial equity. This includes resources that can support your organization in signing on to the Racism Declaration, as well as resources organized into categories based on the action steps listed in the Declaration. Please note that these action steps are not listed in a chronological order; depending on your journey, you may enter the work at any of these action steps.

Resources to Support Signing On

Getting Leadership Buy-In:

*These resources make a financial case for diversity and inclusion, which may or may not be appropriate for your strategy. We welcome conversation about this, as well as discussion on identifying tools that meet your values and needs more generally, in the Racism Declaration Community of Practice.

Resources for Racism Declaration Actions

Action Step	Resources
Publicly assert that racism is a public health crisis affecting our entire society.	WPHA Racism Declaration Page GARE Communication Tools Racial Equity Tools: Communicating How To Craft a Riveting Press Release How to Write a Press Release with Good Quotes for Examples Resource Suite: Messaging During COVID-19 Sample Communications: Milwaukee County Press Release Kenosha County Press Release Governor Evers Declares Racism a Public Health Crisis Racism is a Public Health Crisis, Say Cities and Counties COVID-19: Racial and Ethnic Disparities (DHS)
Conduct an assessment of internal policy and procedures to ensure racial equity is a core element of our work.	Racial Equity Tools: Organizational Assessment Tools and Resources BARHII Organizational Self Assessment Toolkit City of Madison Workplace Climate Survey Report City of Madison Workplace Climate questions 5 Keys to Assessing Organizational Culture Continuum on Becoming an Anti-Racist Multicultral Organization Racial Equity Readiness Assessment for Workforce Development
Work to create an equity and justice oriented organization, with staff, and/or other stakeholders identifying specific activities to increase diversity and to incorporate anti-racism principles within leadership, staffing, and contracting.	We can’t populate our way to inclusion: Relationships are the building blocks of inclusive culture Racial Equity Tools: Organizational Change Process GARE Racial Equity Toolkit Racial Equity Action Plans Contracting for Equity Public Sector Jobs: Opportunities for Advancing Racial Equity Fakequity Blog Race Equity and Inclusion Action Guide: 7 Steps to Advance and Embed Race Equity and Inclusion Within Your Organization How Diversity Makes Us Smarter The Impact of Senior Leadership Commitment on Diversity and Inclusion Racial Equity Tools: Organizational Change Processes Hire an outside facilitator to support your organization YWCA Racial Justice Programs Email healthieststatewisc@wisc.edu for support in finding a facilitator
Incorporate educational efforts to address and dismantle racism, expand understanding of racism, and how racism affects individual and population health.	Health Equity Hub Scaffolded Anti-Racist Education Resources Health and Racial Equity Resources WPHA Racism and Health Suggested Resources Health Equity Training Modules Racial Equity Tools: Racial Equity Learning Modules Training and Popular Education Multicultural Competency Caucus and Affinity Groups
Provide tools to engage actively and authentically with communities of color.	Principles of Centering Voices of Those Most Impacted Racial Equity Tools: Community Building Community Engagement Racial Reconciliation and Racial Healing 20 ways majority-white nonprofits can build authentic partnerships with organizations led by communities of color Getting Ready for Racial Equity Work: Community Engagement Building Trust with Communities of Color
Advocate for relevant policies that improve health in communities of color, and support local, state, and federal initiatives that advance social justice, while also encouraging individual advocacy to dismantle systematic racism.	Building Health Equity Policy Agendas: A Guide for Wisconsin Racial Equity Tools: Policy and System Change Cultural and Ethnic Communities Leadership Council Changing Hearts, Minds, and Structures: Advancing Equity and Health Equity in State Government Policies, Operations, and Practices in Minnesota and Other States
Work to build alliances and partnerships with other appropriate organizations that are confronting racism and encourage partners and/or stakeholders to recognize racism as a public health crisis.	The Community Toolbox Racial Equity Tools: Alliances and Coalitions Advancing Racial Equity and Transforming Government: A Resource Guide to Put Ideas into Action
Allocate adequate financial and human resources to accomplish all selected activities.	Participatory Budgeting Resources Racial Equity Impact Assessments of Economic Policies and Public Budgets Budget Decisions for Racial Equity Impact Budget Equity Assessment Tool Racial Equity Budgeting Tools