“It’s time for us to rise up, and collectively speak up about structural inequality. We don’t have to have all the answers to call for change. We just need courage.”
—Mary Bassett
In this talk, New York City Health Commissioner Mary Bassett describes health disparities as being structural violence.
“Structural because inequities are embedded in the political and economic organization of our social world, often in ways that are invisible to those with privilege and power.
And violence, because of its impact. Premature deaths, suffering, illness, is violence. We do little for our patients if we fails to recognize these social injustices.
And a lot of this is about racial disparities and institutionalized racism.”
From Aspiring Humanitarian, Relando Thompkins-Jones, MSW, LLMSW
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Wow! This is deep! She’s absolutely right that injustice and inequality effect health. I’m glad she’s taking this view public.
Me too! Im my work as an educator and practitioner, it can be really challenging for some people to even speak the words “structural racism” out loud. Mary is spot on with this talk!