Written by Michael Palomba
County Supervisors Nathan Fletcher and Nora Vargas will be presenting a proposal to the board next Tuesday that identifies racism as a “public health crisis.”
“By declaring racism a public health crisis, we are acknowledging the reality that racism underpins the health inequities that we see throughout our society,” Fletcher said.
We hear you loud and clear. This is why we are asking the Board to tackle systemic racism, be intentional in their policies & actively engage with communities of color. If you agree sign this petition https://t.co/d4y9BtiksO#ForOurFuturesd #PorNuestroFuturoSD pic.twitter.com/UNCrdw8J12
— Supervisor Nathan Fletcher (@SupFletcher) January 6, 2021
Mr. Fletcher says “we hear you loud and clear,” but he doesn’t seem to hear the thousands of San Diegans who need to reopen their small businesses. Many business owners and their employees are struggling to pay rent or buy groceries due to the shutdown orders, but Supervisors Fletcher and Vargas seem to have their priorities elsewhere. Mr. Fletcher even denied responsibility for business closures earlier this week.
The ‘anti-racism’ proposal would do several things including creating a system for community input regarding the racial effect of county policies and requiring the use of “racial and equity data to prioritize funding.” The proposal would also revise San Diego’s statement of values, mission, and vision “to ensure inclusion and equity are core principles” of the county’s government.
