In a statement provided to CNN, Fischer expressed his desire to partner with the Council to jointly condemn racism beyond an executive order or ordinance that he might otherwise enact on his own.
“Identifying and working to eliminate structural racism has been a priority for me and my team for more than a decade, but there is much more to do,” said Fischer. “Now when we see people on our streets and on the streets across the country demanding fundamental change, we must have a new sense of urgency to make this statement and do the hard work of dismantling racism and creating real transformation. I look forward to partnering with the Council on this work. “
Two members of the Fischer administration, Kendall Boyd, director of capital and T Gonzales, director of the Center for Equity in Health, spoke to the Council Wednesday to attest to the need for a resolution. Boyd discussed how “minority populations are disproportionately exposed to conditions such as concentrated poverty, racism, limited educational and occupational opportunities, and other aspects of social and economic disadvantage that contribute to poor health outcomes, including increased exposure to violence “according to the release.
Gonzales cited a list of 11 “root causes” that lead to unequal health earnings, including employment and income gaps and transportation challenges.
“Racism is bad for everyone’s health,” Gonzales said in the statement. “We need meaningful and swift action to make sure that everyone in Louisville has what they need to prosper.”
Three black councilors have also voiced their support for the move in Louisville, which has become a focal point of the Black Lives Matter movement since the shooting death of Breonna Taylor by police on March 13.
Boyd said after the meeting that the administration’s next step would be to draft a resolution declaring “Racism as a public health crisis” for the Council’s consideration, according to the statement.
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