A Statement by South Los Angeles Health Projects

South LA Health Projects is horrified at the racism in our society and the devastation it has wreaked on People of Color, but particularly on African Americans.

We are inspired by our staff and families, and by Dr. King, who said, Life’s most urgent and persistent question is “What are you doing for others?”

Racism is a national public health crisis. Racism contributes shockingly to poverty, food insecurity, disease, inadequate access to medical care, maternal and infant mortality, and much more. Many Black people routinely contend with all of these. The cause is primarily systemic racism.

The scourge of racism extends to every element of life: from interactions between African Americans and others, to police injustice, inequities in education, hiring, lending, the criminal justice system, and more.

We applaud the efforts of Black Lives Matter and so many others who are saying, “Enough is enough!”

At South Los Angeles Health Projects, our WIC participants and Healthy Families America participants are low-income People of Color who live in South Los Angeles. We have focused on their health and nutritional needs since 1975.

We will begin to examine our work through the lens of racial equity to see what we can learn. We will consider any changes that could potentially further improve the lives of our participants and staff.

How can South LA Health Projects be part of the larger solution? A partial answer is by partnering with other community organizations to address the larger issues that impact the lives of our participants, our staff and the other residents of South Los Angeles.