Who is Looking Across “Systems” for Public Health Intervention?
By: Christopher Williams, PHL Executive Director
Several years ago, I participated in a Dialogue on Race series that the City of Charlottesville hosted for several weeks in 2010. Volunteer residents attended weekly sessions to discuss race and racism in racially diverse discussion groups. More than 1,000 residents across the city had enlisted. This was 2011. Following a successful conclusion, participants wanted to move toward action.
I was eager to take part and attended the economic work group introductory meeting. Realizing that there was no leadership in place, my enthusiasm for promoting racial equity apparently attracted attention. An African American elder said that I should consider leading the group. I took her up on the firm suggestion.
The work group started with 8-10 individuals. One of our first tasks was to engage with the city’s economic development arm. They encouraged us to interface with the Chamber of Commerce. We discovered two issues right away. First, the local Chamber of Commerce - a member-based organization of influential business voices - had only one Black-owned business registered with it among hundreds. Second, the city was about to embark on a survey of businesses to develop its 10-year economic plan, except that it had only planned to survey the most sizable businesses (i.e. Chamber of Commerce business members). That meant that minority and small business voices would not help to inform a major economic planning document. The city also did not track Black-owned businesses and had no idea how many existed in the city.
Our work group not only went door-to-door to Black businesses to collect more than one hundred businesses’ contact information for the city’s survey, but also develop a minority business survey to identify their needs. We also hosted a training session and networking event for minority businesses. Our efforts were inspiring others. Toan Nguyen has cited our group as a catalyst for establishing the Community Investment Collaborative. CIC offers training, microloans, and ongoing support to small business owners.
Reflecting on this experience, several moments for relevant to Public Health Liberation. First, Charlottesville was engaging in a major economic planning effort with surrounding counties, but sought to exclude small- and minority-owned businesses. Second, notice that health did not figure at all in these discussions. Public Health Liberation envisions a world in which public health has a seat at every table of accountability.
