Rochester mayor signs ‘Racism Is a Public Health Crisis’ pledge

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — The City of Rochester is teaming up with the Black Agenda Group to remind people to sign the "Racism Is a Public Health Crisis" pledge.

"The issues of racial health disparities has been a conversation for too long," Mayor Malik Evans said.

The City and the Black Agenda Group want to introduce what they call is the "Implementation Tool" that focuses on accountability, transparency, and advocacy.

The Black Agenda Group launched its "Racism Is A Public Health Crisis" campaign in May of 2020. The group’s mission is to take the issue of racial health disparities from a conversation to a push for action.

Citing information from the CDC, and the Healthy Baby Network, Black women are almost three times at risk of dying from complications of childbirth, compared to white women. Black children are also three to four times likely to die as babies compared to white children. Mayor Evans said the underserved population in our community is unable to rely on a health care system to keep them healthy.

"These are life and death conversations that we are having. So we need to combine, and join forces, and our resources to create change. We need to take actions, that’s how Rochester will grow. This will not just be idle talk and chatter. People are tired of the idle talk and chatter," Evans said.

Click here to learn more about the Black Agenda Group, and to sign the "Racism Is A Public Health Crisis" pledge.