New work from local artists depicts the impacts of COVID-19 and racism
New works by seven local artists and community creatives offer fresh ways of understanding the intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic with race, bias and culture.
Read MoreTag: Equity and social justice
Bridging the Gap Between Community and Systems
Willard Jimerson, Jr. grew up in Seattle’s historically African American Central District neighborhood. Raised by a loving grandmother and grandfather, young Will could never have predicted that just six weeks after his 13th birthday he’d become a ward of the state and spend the rest of his childhood in America’s adult prison system.
One fatal and catastrophic moment on a late night in 1994 changed everything. The kid who once fancied himself a charming and mischievous prankster, who loved playing arcade games and pick-up football, was gone.
Read MoreRecognizing an incident with the shadow of a long history of hate
When staff and leadership at Public Health—Seattle & King County learned about the horrific shipment of body bags to our partners at Seattle Indian Health Board (SIHB), we were shocked and dismayed. The news generated a private apology and inquiry from Public Health to the CEO of SIHB. And it generated a rapid search of […]
Read MoreTaking a “place and race” approach to advancing community health in south Seattle & south King County
As King County’s population and housing costs have risen steeply, many people of color and lower income families in King County have migrated to south Seattle and south King County, with the most vulnerable populations at risk of being priced out of the county all together. This displacement can have negative health impacts: it disrupts […]
Read MoreWhy Public Health sees a community threat in proposal about immigration
The new proposal to amend the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s “public charge” test is a threat to the public’s health. “This is inhumane, and it would undermine efforts to improve the overall health of King County—and impact generations to come,” said Patty Hayes, director of Public Health—Seattle & King County, in a news release […]
Read MoreQ&A with Dr. Jeff Duchin: What our 18 year life expectancy gap in neighborhoods tells us
Today, on the heels of a Lancet Public Health study that found an 18 year difference in life expectancy for men, and 14 year difference for women, we caught up with our Health Officer, Dr. Jeff Duchin, to talk about neighborhood-level data and how it informs our work. The study is a joint project by Institute […]
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