In one sweeping move, President Donald Trump on Thursday erased the scientific and legal foundation of America’s clean air protections and modern climate policies. For the first time in a generation, the U.S. government no longer officially recognizes carbon pollution as a danger to public health. Black people are exposed to more pollution, on average, […]
public health
Can the Increase in Higher Education Diversity and Inclusion Efforts Solve Health Disparities?
As a young girl, Shaunessey Burks remembers walking up to the plant where her grandfather worked. Pierced in her memory were the fumes radiating from inside the building, where no one was wearing protective equipment. There was no barrier between her grandfather and the hazardous chemicals floating in the air he was breathing. Years later, […]
Why Gun Violence Is a Public Health Crisis
The stray bullet that ripped through Greg Jackson’s leg as he walked home in Washington, D.C., struck two arteries. The 2013 incident, which led to a 21-day hospital stay and a six-month recovery, began with law enforcement by his bedside in the emergency room. “I was questioned and interrogated before I even met my nurse […]
What Happens After Your Town Declares Racism a Public Health Crisis?
When Milwaukee County became the first jurisdiction to declare racism a public health crisis in 2019, it had among the worst health outcomes in Wisconsin. It was also one of the most segregated areas of the country, with a high Black mortality rate. The county’s Office on African American Affairs and Wisconsin’s Public Health Association […]
