LASROC Joins the Rochester Black Agenda Group in Declaring Racism as a Public Health Issue
Racism is a crisis that has plagued our country and community for centuries. LASROC is resolved to continue advancing and protecting the legal rights of the disenfranchised, and therefore we’re taking this opportunity to again denounce hate and racial injustice. The Legal Aid Society of Rochester stands with the Greater Rochester Black Agenda Group to affirm that RACISM IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS affecting our entire society.
We acknowledge that this work must be done with authentic purpose and recognize that signing this declaration and publicly affirming the fact that racism is indeed a public health crisis is only the beginning. Firmly rooted in the belief that every human deserves to be treated with dignity, equality, and fairness, we are committed to providing compassionate and equitable care for our clients and each other. This work requires ongoing learning, internal reflections, difficult conversations, and thoughtful changes to both stated and implicitly inequitable policies, practices, and communications. The importance of working to increase the diversity of our team and to continually reassess our implicit biases presents in sharper relief now more than ever.
As expressed in the declaration we’ve signed in order to address racism as a public health crisis, we are unwaveringly committing to the following:
Publicly assert that racism is a public health crisis affecting our entire society.
Conduct an assessment of internal policy, practices, procedures, reporting relationships, and organizational structures to ensure racial equity is a core element of our work.
Work to create an equity and justice-oriented organization, with staff, and/or other stakeholders identifying specific activities to increase diversity and to incorporate anti-racist principles within leadership, staffing, and contracting.
Incorporate educational and professional development efforts to address and dismantle racism, expand understanding of racism, and how racism affects individual and population health.
Provide tools to engage actively and authentically with Black and Brown communities.
Advocate for relevant policies that improve health in Black and Brown communities, and support local, state, and federal initiatives that advance social and economic justice, while also encouraging individual advocacy to dismantle structural and systematic racism.
Work to build alliances and partnerships with other appropriate organizations that are confronting racism and encourage partners and/or stakeholders to recognize racism as a public health crisis.
Allocate adequate financial and human resources to accomplish all selected activities.
LASROC will use its collective voice and position of acknowledged privilege to help our community repair, heal, and grow by identifying and disrupting racism whenever encountered. We will prioritize inclusive practices to give agency to Black and Brown communities. We will continue to strive for a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment, both internally and for our community. We acknowledge that this is work of paramount importance and eagerly look to a just and prosperous shared future.