“We aim to ensure that all residents and stakeholders of San Bernardino County are wealthy, healthy, and safe, and experience a sense of representational power, unity and hope in their thriving communities.”
On June 23, 2020, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors declared racism a public health crisis and tasked the County Administrative Office with forming an Equity group that would represent the 11th element of the Countywide Vision.
Discussions that led to the declaration and equity group were inspired by the national conversation taking place in the wake of the May 2020 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The group was to be comprised initially of Black community members who could review each element of the Countywide Vision with an equity focus. Eventually, the group will grow to include representatives from other county communities and include an equity focus for all people. The County Administrative Office worked with trusted members of the community to identify organizations well versed in racial equity work.
The Equity Element Group is tasked with determining where there may be racial disparities among our residents in the county, if campaigns and programs could be implemented to solve those issues, and identifying what initiatives are already underway within County government or in the county community that can be highlighted and supported.
Declaring racism as a public health crisis highlights the profound and pervasive systemic disparities impacting the well-being of marginalized communities. These disparities can be identified in the aspects of health, higher rates of chronic diseases, mental health issues, and reduced access to quality healthcare among people of color.
Structural inequities rooted in racism—such as discriminatory housing practices, inadequate education, and unequal employment opportunities—contribute to environments that harm the health of these communities.
Also, the stress of experiencing racism directly affects physical and mental health, leading to increased rates of conditions like hypertension and depression. By declaring racism a public health crisis, San Bernardino County recognized the urgent need to address these systemic inequities, emphasizing that achieving health equity requires confronting and dismantling the structures that perpetuate racism.
This declaration calls us to action for meaningfully investing our talents, time, and treasure, so that we together may achieve equity in the pursuit of parity, systemic change, dignity, health and protection of all communities to the benefit of all the residents of San Bernardino County.
George Lamb
Chairman, Equity Element Group
Committee Partners – Executve Members
Reimagining Our Communities
