Making Injustice Visible: How a Health Department Can Demonstrate the Connection Between Structural Racism and the...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Social Determinants of Health
• Health Equity

Background:

• Historically redlined neighborhoods face systemic disadvantages impacting community health.
• The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) committed to addressing structural racism.
• Tremont, a historically redlined area in the Bronx, was selected for engagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To educate and engage diverse audiences on historical and current structural racism.
• To utilize the "Undesign the Redline" exhibit as an educational tool.
• To foster dialogue and promote understanding of racism's impact on health.

Main Methods:

• Exhibited "Undesign the Redline," a pictorial timeline of redlining, in a DOHMH office.
• Conducted 101 tours for 950 visitors, including staff, community partners, and residents.
• Facilitated interactive workshops and collected immediate and long-term feedback via surveys.

Main Results:

• Participants reported increased awareness and discussions about structural racism.
• Exhibit tours and workshops led to participants seeking more information and applying an equity lens to their work.
• The initiative contributed to sustainable changes within DOHMH's internal practices.

Conclusions:

• Hosting the exhibit in a health department building provided a practical platform for discussing structural racism.
• The program demonstrated immediate and long-term impacts on participants' perspectives and actions.
• This approach effectively visualizes injustice and builds community trust through open dialogue.