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Da’Quan Love, Executive Director

press@naacpva.org

Virginia NAACP Applauds Virginia General Assembly Declaration of Racism As Public Health Crisis

RICHMOND – Virginia State Conference NAACP (Virginia NAACP) President Robert N. Barnette, Jr. issued the following statement regarding yesterday’s passage of House Joint Resolution 537 to declare Racism as a Public Health Crisis:

“When the Virginia NAACP released our legislative agenda for the General Assembly session, we made the declaration of Racism as a Public Health Crisis our number one priority this year. We know that Systemic Racism manifests itself as a determinant to public health through persistent Racial Disparities in all areas of our lives.

We commend Delegate Lashrecse Aird for championing this NAACP priority legislation, and applaud members of the General Assembly who voted in favor of this important resolution. When signed into law, Virginia will become the first state in the south to declare Racism as a Public Health Crisis.

The Virginia NAACP expects nothing less than Governor Ralph Northam’s approval of this resolution. Virginians of color, especially Black Virginians, deserve no further delay of the Commonwealth’s public recognition of this centuries-old Crisis.”

PRESS NOTE

It is the position of the Virginia NAACP that Racism is a Public Health Crisis that should not be minimized in any way. We choose to capitalize the words “Racism” and “Public Health Crisis” in an effort to emphasize the importance of this issue, and encourage the press and general public to do the same.