The first public hearing for the Ohio Senate’s resolution declaring racism a public health crisis lasted 11 hours.
State Sen.
Cecil Thomas, a former Cincinnati City Council member, wasn’t surprised by what he heard — stories of how black Americans are more affected by poverty and incarceration, less likely to receive adequate health care and far more likely to die before their first birthday.
He knew some of his colleagues would be.
SO WE'RE TRACKING THIS NOW FORYOU.WE'RE BACK IN A FEW MINUTES WITHTHE LATEST.WILL VOTE ON ITS OWNRESOLUTION LATER THIS MONTH.REPORTER MARIEL CARBONE HASMORE ON HOW LEADERS SAY THESEDECLARATIONS CAN MAKE A REALIMPACT.MARIEL: "These resolutions AREintended to create a dialogue,at both state and localLEVELS, about racism and howit's intertwined into ourlaws.
As those conversationsSTART, leaders say they canbetter pinpoint problems,develop solutions, directmoney to help." PACK:áPROTEST CHANTINGá THEDIALOGUE ON THE STREETS, TELLSYOU THIS: RACISM ISN'T SO FARAWAY.
áPROTEST CHANTINGáIT'S A MESSAGE THAT'S CAUSINGCHATTER IN GOVERNMENTS, FROMSTATE, TO LOCAL.
VICTORIAPARKS/HAMILTON COUNTYCOMMISSIONER"That we talk toone another and that we listento one another.
That's themost important thing."HAMILTON COUNTY COMMISSIONERVICTORIA PARKS, IS PREPARING ARESOLUTION DECLARING "RACISM"A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS IN THECOUNTY.
IT HASN'T BEENRELEASED YET, BUT SHE TELLS MEIT'LL TOUCH ON EDUCATIONALEFFORTS, AND COMMUNITYENGAGEMENT.THE CRUX OF ITSPURPOSE: TO CREATE A DIALOGUETHAT LEADS TO REAL CHANGE.VICTORIA PARKS/HAMILTON COUNTYCOMMISSIONER"We have to havedialogue in order for us tounderstand each other and morethan anything for us to careabout each other." SHARINGBACKGROUND, LIKE THIS:VICTORIA PARKS/HAMILTON COUNTYCOMMISSIONER"I am the secondgeneration out of slavery.
Mygrandfather was born on aplantationI'm sure that itprovides a different lens." ATTHE STATE LEVEL, THERE ALSOISN'T A SHORTAGE OFCONVERSATIONS.
THE OHIOSENATE AND HOUSE BOTH RELEASEDRESOLUTIONS LAST WEEK TODECLARE RACISM A PUBLIC HEALTHCRISIS AND CALLING ON THEGOVERNOR TO CREATE A TASKFORCE.
TUESDAY, THE SENATEHELD IT'S FIRST PUBLIC HEARING.IT WAS '11 HOURS LONG.'
CECILTHOMAS/OHIO STATE SENATOR "Ican easily connect witheveryone of those persons thatgave testimony.
But, there area lot of people for the mostpart that just did not knowthat this was going on."SENATOR CECIL THOMAS SAYSTHESE HEARINGS, ANDCONVERSATIONS, HELP PINPOINTTHE PROBLEM.
THAT CAN LEAD TOACTUAL SOLUTIONS TO UNDOSYSTEMATIC RACISM.
CECILTHOMAS/OHIO STATE SENATOR"when you peal back the onionon racism, you begin to seethat we are making someserious mistakes in how wedirect our funding and evenhow much we direct ourfunding." OVER THE NEXT FEWMONTHS, LAW MAKERS WILL TRAVELTHE STATE TO DEFINE THE ISSUESAND COME UP WITH VARIOUSPIECES OF LEGISLATION.
INHAMILTON COUNTY, PARKS HOPESTO SHARE HER RESOLUTION BY THEEND OF THE MONTH.
VICTORIAPARKS/HAMILTON COUNTYCOMMISSIONER"I do not wantthis to be symbolic.
I need itto be something that willsustain, that will trulyaffect our community in apositive way, and to last.
Andto be funded." MARIEL:
Hamilton County officials said there is a clear connection between race and health, and the Commission hopes the steps laid out in..
Santa Clara County supervisors Dave Cortese and Cindy Chavez are pushing to declare racism a public health crisis and support the..
