Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Fighting Racism In Medicine, Mental Health, Environment
CNN: It Denied Membership To 2 Black Doctors For Years. Now The American Academy Of Pediatrics Is Apologizing
Eighty years after repeatedly rejecting the membership of two Black doctors, the American Academy of Pediatrics is officially apologizing for its racist behavior against the two physicians, as well as against others over many decades. Doctors Alonzo deGrate Smith and Roland Boyd Scott first applied for membership in the AAP in 1939, nine years after the definitive authority on pediatric care was founded. For the next six years, both were repeatedly rejected. (Lin Erdman, 7/29)
WBUR: What The 'Wall Of Moms' Protests Say About Motherhood, Race In America
Today, the power of moms as activists is being proven again by the Wall of Moms protesting police brutality in Portland, Ore. They've gained national attention as they link arms and chant at federal forces. Many "moms" activist groups are started and powered by women like Lightner, who lost children tragically. But it's also true that stereotypes about gender, as well as race, have long played a role in shaping that power — as well as determining who gets to wield it. (Kurtzleben, 7/28)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: In South DeKalb, Black Neighborhoods Fight ‘Environmental Racism’
Stonecrest, a young city of over 50,000 in southeast DeKalb County, is nearly 94% Black. Ahead of its formation in 2017, proponents for the city heralded it as a place where new economic development could flourish in predominantly Black communities. But while Mayor Jason Lary said industrial development is key to the growth of the city, several residents say that goal is coming at the cost of residents’ well-being and health. (Capeluto, 7/28)
