Opinion: Cleveland Must Fulfill its Promise to Address Racism as a Public Health Crisis

By Yvonka Marie Hall

Executive Director

Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition

In 2020, the world experienced a profound awakening regarding social justice and racial equity. In response, Cleveland City Council adopted Resolution 296-2020, officially declaring racism a public health crisis. In the years that followed, the city and community leaders were expected to collaborate on initiatives to promote health and equity for all residents and visitors.

Today, however, I wish to raise significant concerns about local leadership responsiveness to community needs, particularly in light of the declaration and the Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) conducted in Cleveland.

The CHNA highlighted alarming trends, revealing that the leading causes of death in Ohio are heart disease, cancer, and COVID-19, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics.

Additionally, Black people in Cleveland have higher rates of chronic health conditions, such as asthma, high blood pressure, and diabetes as documented by the National Library of Medicine. They are also more likely to experience poor outcomes from obesity, low birth weight, and HIV.

Also, it’s concerning that the life expectancy for Black residents in Cuyahoga County is only 73.6 years—significantly lower than that of white, Hispanic, and Asian residents.  Addressing these racial disparities must be a priority for our local leaders but there is a lack of urgency from the council to do so.

I recently spoke outside of the city council’s office along with some members of the Cuyahoga County Progressive Caucus, The Center for Black Health & Equity, and Cleveland Lead Advocates for Safe Housing (CLASH) to express our discontent with the current administration. I believe we may not be the only ones left in the wind.

For example, on October 28, 2024, a coalition member for Cut the Salt, Keep the Flavor expressed their support for sodium warning labels to be placed on menus in Cleveland restaurants to inform customers of high-sodium items when purchasing food. This solution would be especially helpful for the Black community. Since the time of the public comment, the council has not introduced it to the Health, Human Services, and the Arts Committee let alone followed up on the matter.

Chairman Kevin Conwell of the Health, Human Services, and the Arts Committee; Council Members Richard Starr, Stephanie D. Howse-Jones, and Jasmin Santana have been in tune with the unique public health necessities of Cleveland by advocating for evidence-based policy solutions. Mayor Justin Bibb of Cleveland and the Department of Public Health have also expressed support for these changes.

This is a strong start, but those in positions of power need to collaborate with the community and implement evidence-based policies that will genuinely enhance health outcomes for Black residents. Clevelanders, we need to be sure public health policies are passed to serve us properly.

We need all our Cleveland neighbors to call their designated councilperson; schedule meetings to discuss evidence-based policies. Ask the council member to allow ordinances to be scheduled and presented before council. Lastly, attend City Council meetings and testify in favor or for the need of evidence-based policies. We all deserve our ideas to be put through a fair, democratic process.