Sacramento County Declares Racism A Public Health Crisis
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — After a wave of civil unrest this year, Sacramento County has now declared racism a public health crisis.
The board of supervisors passed a resolution Tuesday afternoon following heated public comment for and against it. The resolution acknowledges the county should have a more active role when making policy and funding programs to address longstanding issues around race.
Board chairman Phil Serna, who authored the proposal, says racial divides have only been exacerbated by the pandemic, which has disproportionately impacted people of color.
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Supervisor Sue Frost, the sole vote against the resolution, argued Sacramento County is not a racist place.
"I believe we should be committed as a whole to serving all citizens to the best of our ability all the time," Frost said.
About 1.5 million people live in Sacramento County, and roughly half of the population is made up of people of color. Similar resolutions have been passed in 21 other California cities and counties, including Yolo County, which did so over the summer.
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