Racism has persisted throughout our nation’s history, as have the heroic efforts to address it. Presently, unfolding events have brought many of these continuing inequities into sharper focus once again. We are acutely aware of the racial disparities in healthcare delivery and outcomes that have become painfully obvious in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We now have the challenge of mitigating and ultimately eliminating the factors that drive racial bias and health disparities. These factors are strongly associated with the social determinants of health — inadequate housing, homelessness, food insecurity, lack of access to transportation, and lack of access to quality, affordable health care for at-risk communities.
The Delaware Center for Health Innovation (DCHI) pledges to be an anti-racism organization dedicated to combatting racial disparities that affect health and health care. Racial health disparities, discrimination, harassment, and violence are public health issues that we must overcome across every industry sector. We must strive to identify, discuss, and challenge issues of race, color, and ethnicity and their resultant impact to ensure the health and well-being of every segment of our society and equal access to health care for all.
There is incredible work going on to advance anti-racism and equity that we must all listen to, learn from, and embrace. The DCHI staff and Board are united to end racial and ethnic bias, significantly as it affects the health of racially diverse populations and empowers our partners towards this collective goal. Because “becoming” anti-racist at all levels requires continuous growth and learning, we are dedicated to constant education and engaging with our partners in this endeavor.