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Taking stock of the country’s progress toward equity and justice is a constant teetering between seeing the glass as half-full vs. half-empty. Despite measurable progress in some places, we continue to see headlines about racial injustices that include acts of brutality and violence, such as the recent murder of Tyre Nichols at the hands of the police. Additionally, we see systems structured in ways that result in significantly higher mortality rates for Black and Indigenous pregnant people in comparison to white pregnant people. There’s also the recognition that for every story featured, there are injustices occurring and inequitable systems operating that we don’t hear about. There are positive changes and acts of kindness and humanity in the world that go unreported by the media.
Despite the setbacks and feelings of being overwhelmed, we continue to strive for progress - for an end to mass incarceration, for respect of native sovereignty, for environmental justice, for reproductive justice; toward a vision of an America where everyone has a fair and just opportunity to thrive. We continue to fund research that is examining changes to systems and structures to see if there are new policies, practices, or programs that can be put into place to advance equity and justice across the nation. Some of these projects include evaluating impacts of alternative emergency responses, pop-up village models for prenatal care, and changes to the criminal justice system. We will continue to fund work in these and other areas to build the evidence base so that policymakers, communities, and other stakeholders have the information they need to make decisions that will advance health, wellbeing, and equity.
We recognize that this is not a brief moment in time or flash in the pan, but needs to be a continued and prolonged effort to make change in the world. Like Black history and recognition, it cannot and should not be limited to a single month out the year. It should be a consideration and cornerstone of everything we do.
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