News, Racial Justice

Hidden Barriers

February 28, 2021 by webmaster Leave a Comment

Bias, prejudice and discrimination pervade our health care systems. Explore the issues and meet the stakeholders attempting to change that. Asian Americans are perceived as the “model minority”: wealthier, better educated and healthier than other minority groups. But this preconception hides many health disparities, in some cases worse than those of any other racial group.

Support Moving the HEAL Act Out of the senate Chamber, 2-22-21

February 22, 2021 by Deb Cruz Leave a Comment

Good news! SB 5141–The HEAL Act, made it out of the Senate Ways & Means Committee last Friday! We are thrilled, but with a close 13-12 vote, there is no room for error. We must be methodical in our next steps.

Now, our focus turns to passing the HEAL Act out of the Senate chamber. This means your Senator needs to hear from you today!

Take this online action to let them know that a healthy and safe environment for everyone is unconditional. Share this Facebook post to encourage others to do so!

With the tragedy in Texas serving as the lastest example, communities of color bear the brunt of the burden borne by environmental disasters. This can lead to medical ailments, the loss of housing and income, and create lasting hardships. It doesn’t have to be this way, and the HEAL Act directs state agency staff to establish meaningful relationships with underserved communities. This will improve the preparation, prevention, and communication work our state does to shield us from environmental threats. It is crucial because we want everyone to be safe when the next wildfire, flood, or heat wave strikes.

Think of the state of our environment as a sick patient and our environmental laws as the doctor meant to provide the cure. Without the HEAL Act, that doctor won’t be able to provide a full diagnosis, prescribe the right medicines, and provide a wellness plan that matches the patient’s needs and abilities. We need to HEAL our environment and not let it get any sicker.

Tell your Senator to support the HEAL Act!

We are engaged in a relentless communication effort to ensure the Senate prioritizes the HEAL Act. Stay tuned for additional actions soon!

Thank you so much,

Sameer Ranade
Civic Engagement and Policy Manager
Sameer@frontandcentered.org
(360) 218-4642

Investigation finds Latino ballots in WA more likely to be rejected

February 22, 2021 by webmaster Leave a Comment

Experts and voters themselves have suggested a variety of explanations for signature rejections among Latino voters, including language barriers, education levels and implicit bias. This issue is amplified by Latino voters seeming to be less successful than other voters at “curing,” or fixing, their signature rejections, the InvestigateWest analysis found

“I’m not surprised that Latin American sounding names are thrown by the wayside,” Reyes said of InvestigateWest’s analysis. She doesn’t believe her signature should be suspect. Like other kids in her Benton County school, she learned cursive long ago, and her parents even helped her practice at home.

WA health care often lacks language services for immigrant patients

February 22, 2021 by webmaster Leave a Comment

Season 1, Episode 3, Video duration, 6 min 43 s

Washington mandates language-access services for patients who speak limited English, but lack of oversight means many fall through the cracks. A growing immigrant population means that these services are more crucial than ever.

Listen here.

The Latest Books and Reports Covering Environmental Racism and Justice

February 22, 2021 by webmaster Leave a Comment

The COVID-19 pandemic has confirmed again a fundamental truth about the Anthropocene: When disaster strikes, the vulnerable take the hardest punches. Communities of color have suffered much higher rates of infection, hospitalization, and mortality, both because they are disproportionately represented in frontline service positions and because their access to routine healthcare is more limited.

This pattern has long been observed in studies of environmental and climate justice, as the titles in this month’s bookshelf show. Vulnerable communities of color face more and more serious exposure to environmental hazards and have more limited access to economic, social, and political remedies.