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ming and funding can truly benefit people of color by focusing on upstream, structural and systemic issues of health. While the CDC statement is a milestone, it is not a new or innovative thought. In fact, its exactly what individuals and people of color- led organizations have said all along. For exam- ple, we at the Black AIDS Institute have framed HIV as a racial justice issue for 22 years. When almost half of the people newly diag- nosed with HIV are Black and when COVID is hurting Black people twice as much as white Americans, you do not have to look too far to link race and health in America. BEOEJ : Is racism a public health threat to Americans in general, not just people of color specifically? Copeland: Reframing racism as a threat to all Americans and not just people of color is the only way we can change mindsets that influ- ence public health funding, programs, commu- nity outreach, and data collection. For exam- ple, the CDC estimates that about 44% - almost half - of Black transgender women are living with HIV. But a lack of prioritization of the Black trans community has led to insufficient data, which hinders the governments ability to provide health services. Conventional thinking is that racism ben- efits white Americans and hurts only people of color. But the reality is that in a capitalist economy like ours that is gauged by profits, health disparities are a long-term resource drain. First, health disparities are a huge finan- cial burden. The cost of treating disease and managing emergency incidents, both physical and mental, weigh us down. Its why shape- shifting policies like the Affordable Care Act, especially focused on preventive services, have exponentially improved public health outcomes and health budgets. COVID has proven how interconnected our lives and systems are. When Black Americans, who make up almost 15% percent of our nations population, arent living up to their full wellness, productivity, and creativity, how can our nation achieve collective wins? BEOEJ : The CDC released their statement in April, however, the American Medical Association did so last November. How are these statements and policies similar and different? Is one more encompass- ing than the other and what does that mean for public health stan- dards and practices? Copeland: The two statements are similar in their intent because it is the first time both these institutions, that are historically white- led, have officially made the link between racism and poor health outcomes for people of color. The language and tone of the AMA statement is more specific and encompassing it includes police brutality as a broader public health issue, which it absolutely is. The significant differences in the impact of the CDC and AMA statements are that: The CDC works across public health and if enacted, any new policies and programs will affect change across public systems and pro- grams that directly reach communities of color, especially those who are low income and have minimal access to lifesaving care. In contrast, the AMAs statement largely affects private medical institutions and may affect changes within the private healthcare services industry. Also, the CDC being a federal agency has much more governing and funding power while the imprint of the AMA is relatively smaller as it is an advisory body and limited to its paid membership of physicians and related organizations. The larger and more important similarity is that these two statements reflect a necessary and overdue gradual mindset change in white- led organizations about connecting racism and wellbeing. BEOEJ : What has the Black AIDS Institute done (and what are you doing) to make a difference on this issue and what campaigns or pro- grams do you advocate? Copeland: Freedom and equality arent handed over; they are fought for. This CDC statement itself is a result of decades of behind- the-scenes racial justice education, community advocacy, and the power of the Black vote that has unequivocally instated this political administration. While this CDC statement cre- ates hope for meaningful change, it can only be truly valuable if it translates into a real prioriti- zation of people of color across the board. This is an opportunity for Black leaders, advocates, and organizations to hold agencies like the CDC accountable. We must demand increased funding for Black-led community organizations, the need for public health pro- grams and campaigns to center Black people instead of us being included as a token mea- sure, for Black health experts to be trained and elevated to lead and counsel, and for Black wellness needs to be actively measured as a benchmark for success. And finally, Black organizations have to be engaged to educate our people to make informed decisions about their own health and happiness. All of this is at the core of the Black AIDS Institutes efforts to end HIV. For 22 years, we've led the fight to end the HIV epidemic by framing it as a racial justice issue. It underscores why there is still a need for an organization like ours that advocates from a Uniquely and Unapologetically Black point of view. Our motto, Our People, Our Problem, Our Solution, is grounded in Black Empowerment. Our reputed African American HIV University (AAHU) trains Black health professionals in the HIV workforce; we conduct monthly Brown Bag Lunches on updated HIV science; our Wakeup Wednesday video cam- paign informs Black Americans on a weekly basis about evolving COVID and vaccine issues, and our Los Angeles based Prevention and Care team provides Black-centric HIV care and safe spaces. We also work closely with the federal and state governments to push for HIV policies and programs to be Black-centric. BEOEJ : How can entrepreneurs and businesses, especially those who are minorities, minority-owned, or minority-led, best able to support their teams and employees with this knowledge and awareness? Copeland: At the Black AIDS Institute we believe in Everyday Activism. Each of us has an opportunity to be involved in driv- ing conversations and action toward anti-Black racism and HIV awareness. Here are some actions you can take: Hire us to talk to your organization or department about anti-Black racism and its impact on health and HIV Invite us to an employee engagement session about how to talk about HIV in your work and personal spaces If you work in public health and are interested in HIV/AIDS advocacy, join one of our upcoming training programs Donate to one of our national programs to train the Black HIV workforce or for our direct health services in Los Angeles Adopt one of our social media platforms and share at least 1 social media post every week. To learn more about Raniyah and the Black Aids Institute, please visit https://blackaids.org/ people/raniyah-copeland-mph/.
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