Dear GPH Community:
Recent deeply troubling events with regard to police brutality have exacerbated an already turbulent national situation with regard to the COVID-19 epidemic. The impact on Black lives has been disproportionately negative, along with all those who are medically, socially and economically vulnerable and together make up a substantial percentage of our frontline workforce nationwide.
The American Public Health Association got it right last week when it deemed racism the ultimate social determinate of health.
Added to the recent and sadly now routine occurrence of death at the hands of those trusted to protect us, was the reported and extremely disturbing behavior by NYU fraternity members in Instagram posts, which were addressed by President Hamilton and Lisa Coleman last Friday afternoon and are now under investigation.
Public health faculty, staff and students are acutely aware of the deeply troubling nature of incidents like these on the health and well-being of us all. The peaceful protests speak volumes and help to remind us that we are a nation, E Pluribus Unum. That some protests become violent is predictable as frustrations are inflamed by the relentless loss of life due to racism either in cases like Mr. George Floyd or in epidemics of hate, neglect and gun violence.
In public health, we know that premature death is a health outcome, and that many such deaths—the overwhelming majority in fact—come too early and could have been prevented.
We must redouble our efforts to join the battle to end racism and other forms of intolerance here and around the world and to shine a light on the policies and practices that sustain them.
I welcome your ideas on how we can achieve our part in this effort.
I also send my personal condolences to several in the GPH family who have lost close family members to COVID-19 in recent days. Our community grieves alongside you at the news of your terrible loss.
Cheryl Healton, DrPH
GPH Dean and Professor of Public Health Policy and Management