Racial Justice

Racial justice–the systematic fair treatment of people of all races in policy and practice–promotes equitable opportunities and outcomes for all. It is a term frequently used in considering the disproportionate toll of COVID-19 on communities of color and the publicized incidents of police violence. 


Systematically, racial injustice permeates the fabric of all of our institutions. It concentrates environmental hazards and defunds schools in neighborhoods of color, restricts the right to vote and racially gerrymanders election districts, and assigns harsher criminal sentences to people of color for the same crimes. The pervasiveness of racial inequity is seen in everything from healthcare to housing. For example, Black Americans are five times more likely to be stopped without just cause than white people, and three out of five African Americans live in communities with uncontrolled toxic waste sites.


Although starting in 2020 the media has cast a brighter spotlight on overt issues of racial injustice like police violence and the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless other Black men and women, structural racism has its roots in our country’s foundation. The genocide of indigenous nations and the enslavement of Black people in the U.S. created wealth, opportunity, and economic prosperity for millions of white Americans, while simultaneously oppressing people of color. Slavery evolved into racial lynchings, codified segregation, “Jim Crow” laws, and the present day system of mass incarceration. 


Racial injustice has far reaching economic, social, and health-related consequences. Chronic stressors that contribute to increased morbidity and mortality for people of color include food insecurity, substandard housing conditions, inadequate access to health care, workplace discrimination and heightened exposure to violence. Even the great equalizer and bedrock of democracy–the right to vote–is restricted for people of color. Strict voter identification laws, restrictions on Sunday voting, longer wait times, transportation issues, and polling place closures disproportionately affect voters of color


To protect the rights and the health of Americans of color, every sector of society needs to consider the role it plays in promoting or hampering racial justice. Policymakers should prioritize passing the current Voting Rights Bills, decriminalizing drug possession, reallocating law enforcement resources to community safety, enforcing stricter equity standards for sentencing laws, and strengthening re-entry programs for recently incarcerated individuals. Within healthcare, providers and systems must acknowledge the decades of medical abuse and exploitation of people of color for research and medicine while building trust and access to care.


At a micro level, individuals should be vocal allies for BIPOC and demonstrate anti-racist attitudes and actions in spheres of influence such as social circles, workplaces, and local communities. To truly make meaningful progress towards racial justice, we can start by educating our youth and public about the role of race and racism in the United States. Only by acknowledging these legacies can we protect and promote the health and success of all Americans, no exceptions.

Resources & Tools


First page of The Role of Business in Supporting Meaningful Work and Wealth business brief
The Role of Business in Supporting Meaningful Work and Wealth
Resource - Policy Brief
Brought to you by WIN Network
Published on 02/25/2021
First page of the Racial Equity Map
Racial Equity Map
Tool - Toolkit/toolbox
Screen shot of the headline of the story
Community Organizations Have to Talk About Police Violence Directly
Story - Written
Brought to you by Shelterforce
Centering Black Voices lab
Story - Written
Screen shot of the headline of the story
Centering Blackness: The Path to Economic Liberation for All
Story - Written
Brought to you by Medium
Screen shot of the homepage
Visions of Equity: The Ongoing Fight for Racial Justice
Story - Written
Brought to you by TIME
Screen capture of Voluntary Land Taxes webpage
Voluntary Land Taxes
Story - Written
Screen capture of How Systemic Racism Exists In U.S. Housing Policies article
How Systemic Racism Exists In U.S. Housing Policies
Story - Written
Brought to you by Forbes
Published on 07/09/2020
The Case for Reparations
Story - Written
Brought to you by The Atlantic
How I Found Racial Healing During the Pandemic
How I Found Racial Healing During the Pandemic
Story - Written
Brought to you by Yes! Magazine
Blue banner with a photo of David Gibbs and titles that read
Commons Good Podcast: David Gibbs
Story - Audio
Brought to you by Community Commons
Published on 09/29/2020
Screen capture of Racism Has Shaped Public Transit, and It's Riddled With Inequities article
Racism Has Shaped Public Transit, and It’s Riddled With Inequities
Story - Written
Brought to you by Rice University
Published on 08/24/2020
screenshot of the front page of the story
What It Looks Like to Reconnect Black Communities Torn Apart by Highways
Story - Written
Brought to you by Bloomberg L.P.
Screen shot of the headline of the story
This Moment Calls for Finally Making Homeownership Access Fair
Story - Written
Brought to you by Shelterforce
Screen capture of The Danger of a Single Story
The Danger of a Single Story
Story - Written
Brought to you by TED
Screen shot of the headline of the story
97 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice
Story - Written
Brought to you by Medium
Screen shot of the headline of the story
Racial Equity, Housing, and COVID: A Roundtable
Story - Written
Brought to you by Shelterforce
Screen capture of We See You: Why America Must Invest in Young Adults of Color
We See You: Why America Must Invest in Young Adults of Color
Story - Written
Brought to you by SSIR
Screen grab of Well Being in the Nation Medley video
Well Being in the Nation Medley
Story - Video
Published on 11/18/2020
peaceful black protestors kneeling in the street photo by Clay Banks from Unsplash
Black Lives Matter
Story - Original
Brought to you by Community Commons
Published on 06/05/2020
Screen capture of A Brief History of How Racism Shaped Interstate Highways story
A Brief History of How Racism Shaped Interstate Highways
Story - Written
Brought to you by NPR
Published on 04/07/2021
Screen shot of cover of story: The Racist History of Abortion and Midwifery Bans
The Racist History of Abortion and Midwifery Bans
Story - Written
Brought to you by ACLU
Screen shot of the headline of the story
Racial and Gendered Equity and Biden’s American Jobs Plan
Story - Written
Brought to you by Prosperity Now
Screen shot of the headline of the story
US Black-White Inequality in 6 Stark Charts
Story - Written
Brought to you by CNN
Image capture of Reparations, Rebranded
Reparations, Rebranded
Story - Written
Teal background with headshot of Justice Horn and text that reads
Commons Good Podcast: Justice Horn, All-America City John Parr Youth Award Winner
Story - Audio
Brought to you by Community Commons
Published on 05/18/2022
Screen shot of the headline of the story
What Exactly Does It Mean to Defund the Police?
Story - Written
Brought to you by The Cut
Screen capture of article cover photo: Achieving Racial and Ethnic Equity in U.S. Health Care: A Scorecard of State Performance
Achieving Racial and Ethnic Equity in U.S. Health Care: A Scorecard of State Performance
Resource - Report
Brought to you by The Commonwealth Fund
School-to-Prison Pipeline infographic
School-to-Prison Pipeline
Resource - Fact Sheet
Brought to you by ACLU
Cover page of Leveraging Community Expertise to Advance Health Equity
Leveraging Community Expertise to Advance Health Equity
Resource - Report
Brought to you by Urban Institute
Screen capture of H.R. 2919 - THRIVE Act
H.R. 2919 - THRIVE Act
Resource - Legislation
Brought to you by Congressional Research Service
screenshot of the homepage of the resource
Uprooting the Structural Drivers of Health Inequity
Resource - Webinar
Brought to you by ChangeLab Solutions
First page of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Health in the United States and U.S. Territories: A Pathfinder to Resources
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Health in the United States and U.S. Territories: A Pathfinder to Resources
Resource
Brought to you by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Cover page of Black Americans Have a Clear Vision for Reducing Racism but Little Hope It Will Happen
Black Americans Have a Clear Vision for Reducing Racism but Little Hope It Will Happen
Resource - Report
Brought to you by The Pew Charitable Trusts
What is Environmental Racism and How Can We Fight It?
Resource - Blog
Brought to you by World Economic Forum
First page of American Indian and Alaska Native Health in the United States: A Pathfinder to Resources
American Indian and Alaska Native Health in the United States: A Pathfinder to Resources
Resource
Brought to you by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
First page of Ten Lessons for Talking About Race, Racism, and Racial Justice
Ten Lessons for Talking About Race, Racism, and Racial Justice
Resource - Guide/handbook
Brought to you by Opportunity Agenda
Screen capture of article cover photo: Intersections Between Racism and Ableism
Intersections Between Racism and Ableism
Resource - Journal Article
Screen capture of Conducting Research Through an Anti-Racism Lens webpage
Conducting Research Through an Anti-Racism Lens
Resource - Guide/handbook
Brought to you by University of Minnesota Foundation
Screen capture of The Power of Narrative: Bringing People Together to Advance Equity with Jonathan Heller
The Power of Narrative: Bringing People Together To Advance Equity With Jonathan Heller
Resource - Blog
Brought to you by Healthy Places by Design
First page of Asian American Health in the United States and U.S. Territories: A Pathfinder to Resources
Asian American Health in the United States and U.S. Territories: A Pathfinder to Resources
Resource
Brought to you by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Screen capture of cover photo: What is the significance of acknowledging the Indigenous land we stand on?
Beyond Land Acknowledgement: A Guide
Resource - Guide/handbook
Screen shot of the homepage
Campaign Zero
Resource - Website/webpage
Brought to you by WeTheProtesters
Screen capture of How Community-Based Organizations Use Data to Advance Racial Equity blog post
How Community-Based Organizations Use Data to Advance Racial Equity
Resource - Blog
Brought to you by Urban Institute
Cover page of For Love of Country: A Path for the Federal Government to Advance Racial Equity
For Love of Country: A Path for the Federal Government to Advance Racial Equity
Resource - Guide/handbook
Brought to you by PolicyLink
Screen capture of Black Wealth Data Center
Black Wealth Data Center
Resource - Website/webpage
Brought to you by BWDC
Cover page of The Business Case for Racial Equity
The Business Case for Racial Equity: A Strategy for Growth
Resource - Report
Brought to you by W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Screen shot of the homepage for the report
2020 State of Black America Unmasked
Resource - Report
Brought to you by National Urban League
Cover page of Do No Harm Guide: Additional Perspectives on Data Equity
Do No Harm Guide: Additional Perspectives on Data Equity
Resource - Report
Brought to you by Urban Institute
Screen capture of Institutionalized Racism: A Syllabus
Institutionalized Racism: A Syllabus
Resource - Website/webpage
Gallup Center on Black Voices
Resource - Website/webpage
Brought to you by Gallup
Cover page of Guide to Racial Healing: The REPAIR Framework for Community-Institution Solidarity in Racial Healing
Guide to Racial Healing: The REPAIR Framework for Community-Institution Solidarity in Racial Healing
Resource - Guide/handbook
Brought to you by Build Healthy Places Network
Screen shot of In Common Newsletter: New Racial Justice Journey Library
In Common Newsletter: New Racial Justice Journey Library
Resource
Brought to you by Community Commons
Screen shot of the homepage
Asian Americans Advancing Justice
Resource - Website/webpage
First page of Tackling Structural Racism In Health article
Tackling Structural Racism In Health
Resource - Journal Article
Brought to you by Health Affairs
Strategic CaseMaking Knowledge Center
Resource - Website/webpage
A screen grab of RJCM webpage
Racial Justice Competency Model
Resource - Website/webpage
Know Your Rights: Voting Rights
Resource - Fact Sheet
Screen capture of
Decolonizing Environmentalism
Resource - Blog
Brought to you by Yes! Magazine
Screen grab of Racial Trauma
Racial Trauma
Resource - Website/webpage
Brought to you by MHA
Stories to Celebrate Black History Month
Resource - Data Bank/repository
Screen capture of Advancing Racial Justice: The Role of Business
Advancing Racial Justice: The Role of Business
Resource - Webinar
Brought to you by WIN Network
Published on 02/26/2021
Screen shot of the front cover of the report
Advancing Well-Being by Transcending the Barriers of Whiteness
Resource - Policy Brief
Brought to you by PolicyLink
PDF Article Cover: Provider Bias In Contraceptive Counseling
Provider Bias in Contraceptive Counseling
Resource - Journal Article
Racial Justice
Resource - Website/webpage
Brought to you by Equal Justice Initiative
First page of Hispanic/Latino Health in the United States: A Pathfinder to Resources
Hispanic/Latino Health in the United States: A Pathfinder to Resources
Resource
Brought to you by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Screen capture of Racial Equity in Government
Racial Equity in Government
Resource - Data Bank/repository
Brought to you by Results for America
First page of Black/African American Health in the United States: A Pathfinder to Resources
Black/African American Health in the United States: A Pathfinder to Resources
Resource
Brought to you by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
First page of Police-Recorded Crime and Disparities in Obesity and Blood Pressure Status in Chicago
Police-Recorded Crime and Disparities in Obesity and Blood Pressure Status in Chicago
Resource - Journal Article
Brought to you by American Heart Association
The Planner’s Playbook: A community-centered approach to improving health & equity
Resource - Guide/handbook
Brought to you by ChangeLab Solutions
Screen capture of On Racism: A New Standard For Publishing On Racial Health Inequities blog post
On Racism: A New Standard For Publishing On Racial Health Inequities
Resource - Blog
Brought to you by Health Affairs
Published on 07/02/2020
Cover page of King County's Journey in Institutionalizing Equity and Social Justice
King County’s Journey in Institutionalizing Equity and Social Justice
Resource - Journal Article
Brought to you by American Society for Public Administration
Screen capture of article cover photo: The Link Between Structural Racism, High Blood Pressure and Black People's Health
The Link Between Structural Racism, High Blood Pressure, and Black People’s Health
Resource - Blog
Brought to you by American Heart Association
Screen capture of Project REFOCUS
Project REFOCUS
Resource - Website/webpage
Brought to you by University of California Los Angeles
Title slide of Health Equity Framework presentation
Health Equity Framework
Resource
Brought to you by Massachusetts Health Policy Commission
Screen capture of How Land Banks and Community Land Trusts Can Partner for Racial Justice
How Land Banks and Community Land Trusts Can Partner for Racial Justice
Resource - Blog
Brought to you by Nonprofit Quarterly
Screen capture of Racial Disparities and Climate Change blog post
Racial Disparities and Climate Change
Resource - Blog
Brought to you by Princeton University
Screen capture of Targeted Universalism Bibliography webpage
Targeted Universalism Bibliography
Resource - Data Bank/repository
Brought to you by Othering and Belonging Institute
Screen capture of Health Equity Data Commitment and Principles webpage
Health Equity Data Commitment and Principles
Resource - Website/webpage
Brought to you by Public Health Institute at Denver Health
Screen capture of 11 Terms You Should Know to Better Understand Structural Racism
11 Terms You Should Know to Better Understand Structural Racism
Resource - Blog
Brought to you by The Aspen Institute
Screen capture of Structural Racism and Discrimination webpage
Structural Racism and Discrimination
Resource
Brought to you by NIMHD
Screen capture of Adultification Bias
Adultification Bias
Resource - Website/webpage
PDF Cover: Education to Identify and Combat Racial Bias in Pain Treatment
Education to Identify and Combat Racial Bias in Pain Treatment
Resource - Journal Article
Brought to you by AMA
Screen capture of article image: Native American Activism: 1960s to Present
Native American Activism: 1960s to Present
Resource - Website/webpage
Screen capture of the Rural Policymaking webpage
Rural Policymaking
Resource
Brought to you by ChangeLab Solutions
Screen shot of the homepage
Law for Black Lives
Resource - Website/webpage
Brought to you by L4BL
PDF Cover: Racialization as a Barrier to Achieving Health Equity for Native Americans
Racialization as a Barrier to Achieving Health Equity for Native Americans
Resource - Journal Article
Brought to you by AMA
Screen shot of the cover of the guide
Coronavirus Equity Considerations
Resource - Guide/handbook
Brought to you by NAACP
Valuing Black Assets in Black Communities
Resource - Podcast
Brought to you by Brookings
Screen capture of article cover photo: Understanding the Policing of Black, Disabled Bodies
Understanding the Policing of Black, Disabled Bodies
Resource - Journal Article
Brought to you by Center for American Progress
Screen capture of article cover photo: What It's Like to Be Black and Disabled in America
What It's Like to Be Black and Disabled in America
Resource - Journal Article
Brought to you by The Atlantic
Staff Pick!
Bay Area Equity Atlas
Tool - Data/mapping Tool
Screen shot of the homepage
Bridging Divides Map
Tool - Data/mapping Tool
Screen grab of Hate Map
Hate Map
Tool - Data/mapping Tool
Screen capture of Racial Disparities Dashboard webpage
Racial Disparities Dashboard
Tool - Data/mapping Tool
Screen shot of the homepage
Racial Equity Data Hub
Tool - Data/mapping Tool

Data & Metrics


Collage of images of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color with teal, olive green, golden yellow, and burnt orange transparent overlays. Bold white text on charcoal background at the top reads
BIPOC Health Equity Library
Library
Published on 09/27/2022
Collage of photos of people of color with warm purple and orange overlays. White writing across the top reads
Racial Justice Journey Library
Library
Published on 02/22/2022

 Related Topics


Card image
Environmental Racism

Card image
Basic Needs for Health and Safety

Card image
Targeted Universalism

Card image
Middle Eastern and Arab Americans

Card image
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Card image
Health Equity

Card image
Black and African Americans

Card image
Jewish Americans

Card image
Reproductive Justice

Card image
Racism

Card image
Hate

Card image
Native Americans and First Nations