BIPOC Health Equity Library


Black, Indigenous, and People of Color belong everywhere and deserve safety, well-being, and equitable opportunities to thrive. Despite decades of tireless advocacy, however, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color still experience disproportionately worse health outcomes, endure ongoing discrimination and hate, and are significantly more likely to experience violence than their white peers. These disparities are often further compounded by race-based and intergenerational trauma, Adverse Community Experiences, and a lack of access to appropriate primary and mental health care.


Black, Indigenous, and People of Color who are living in poverty, located in rural communities, LGBTQ+, disabled, and/or undocumented are most impacted, with risk factors including:

  • Asian American immigrants, particularly those that are undocumented, are especially vulnerable to economic exploitation and predatory labor practices - one study showed an estimated 74% of South Asian restaurant workers in New York City made less than minimum wage in 2012
  • Worse health outcomes for disabled people of color: 55.2% of Hispanic and 46.6% of African American individuals with disabilities report fair or poor health, compared with 36.9 percent of white disabled individuals

  • People of color with low socioeconomic status experience high rates of avoidable procedures, avoidable hospitalizations, and untreated disease
  • Law enforcement-related violence and deaths of disabled people of color, especially Black disabled people


A New Focus on Community Commons

Health Equity Libraries on Community Commons build capacity for changemakers to advance equity for a specific priority population by sharing relevant resources. Priority populations are exploration avenues on Community Commons that represent diverse groups, communities, demographics, identities, statuses, and people with lived experiences. They connect users directly with populations of interest, lift up important underserved groups, and help root our work in equity and justice. 


Importantly, we acknowledge that people are not defined solely by the population groups to which they belong—many factors contribute to what makes people who they are, and most people belong to more than one priority population group. These libraries are designed to break down silos and support changemakers working to advance equitable well-being by making people-centered content more discoverable on Community Commons.


Resources curated for Health Equity Libraries: 

  • Share practical, actionable strategies to guide on-the-ground work 

  • Provide access to data and scientific articles that build the case for equity and its relation to well-being 

  • Lift up stories and lived experience from people in priority populations


The BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) Health Equity Library highlights 300+ newly-curated resources and stories to advance equitable health outcomes for BIPOC.


As we have worked to expand and center Black, Indigenous, and People of Color content on Community Commons, some key themes have emerged:

  1. Shifting dialogue from focusing on inclusion to focusing on health outcomes

  2. Centering Indigenous knowledge and Black voices, and crediting BIPOC people for their work

  3. Centering intersectional BIPOC perspectives, especially those who are BIPOC and LGBTQ+, disabled, economically poor, undocumented, and/or unhoused

  4. Prioritizing actionable strategies for tangible change rooted in antiracism, decolonization, and equity

  5. Disproportionate impacts of disabled people with multiple marginalizations, including histories of trauma

  6. COVID-19 as a magnifier, emphasizing existing strengths and disparities



Copyright
2022
Published Date
09/27/2022
Published By
Community Commons

Resources

Topic -


Hand up in stop position in front of face. Photo Nadine Shaabana via Unsplash.
Racism
Topic

Audio


Blog


CC Original


Data bank/repository


Racism and Associated Health Impacts
Resource - Data Bank/repository
Published on 07/27/2020
Screen shot of website cover: AAPI Data
AAPI Data
Resource - Data Bank/repository
Bold letters
Priority Populations Channel
Resource - Data Bank/repository
Screen grab of COVID-19 Resources for Indigenous Peoples
COVID-19 Resources for Indigenous Peoples
Resource - Data Bank/repository

Guide/handbook


Journal article