In Maryland, the Montgomery County Council has introduced a resolution deeming racism a public health crisis.

In an interview with Cheddar, councilmember Will Jawando says disparities the black community faces are staggering. Recent social uprisings might have lit the flame under Jawando to introduce the resolution but the issue of racial inequality goes back hundreds of years, he said.

"Racism is the direct result, for 401 years, we've been either property or legally discriminated against for most of that time," Jawando told Cheddar. 

In Montgomery County, systemic racism is not limited to just over-assertive and sometimes lethal policing of the black community, he said. It's also running rampant in the healthcare system. As COVID-19 continues to ravage communities of color nationwide, 18 percent of the black population in his county makes up a quarter of the deaths related to the virus.

For Jawando, racism in the Washington DC suburb is simply a reflection of society on a smaller scale.

"If you look at maternal health and childbirth, black women die at three times the rate," he said. "When they come in with problems, often doctors — look at Serena Williams — don't believe that they're sick."

Introducing the resolution, which he expects to pass next week, is a first step for curing the public health crisis in his county, Jawando said, but he hopes the measure is eventually recognized on both the state and federal levels. He also supports other methods of combating racism including the growing call to defund police departments nationwide.

"We shouldn't have stats driven by policing," he explained. "De-escalation, that should be rewarded just as much as we reward arrests and tickets."

Share:
More In Politics
Hope Moves out of The White House, Drama Moves in
There has been a lot of exits from the White House this week...Hope Hicks announced her resignation and Jared Kushner's security clearance was downgraded. Vanity Fair's Emily Jane Fox joins The Hive to discuss what the White House will do now.
A.I. Caucus Co-Creator on Balancing Innovation & Job Creation
The Artificial Intelligence Caucus is a group of bipartisan lawmakers working together to ensure technology has a positive impact on America's future. Congressman John Delaney (D-MD) believes A.I. will be a "paradigm-shifting development," and he thinks the government needs to encourage its growth. The bipartisan caucus aims to work with the private sector to make sure technological change "doesn't leave huge parts of the country behind," says Rep. John Delaney (D-MD), who founded the group.
Closing Bell: March 1, 2018
Nordstrom and Gap release earnings. American Outdoor Brands says sales fell 32.6% year over year. The Dow drops after President Trump announced heavy tariffs on aluminum and steel. Twitter is asking the public to help it evaluate how toxic the social media platform really is
Hope Leaves the White House
The Hive's hosts Jon Kelly and Kristen Scholer discuss the latest news in politics, business and technology. From Hope Hicks' sudden departure from The White House to the Kardashian's imapct on social media, we have you covered.
Getting Out of Gun Stocks
In the wake of the Florida High School mass shooting, some Americans are looking for ways to take the issue of gun control into their own hands, or wallets. Todd Scorzafava is a Lead Partner of Wealth Management at Eagle Rock Wealth and he joins Cheddar to explain how investors can manage their funds in a socially-minded manner.
Inside the Republican Backlash to Trump's Gun Control Comments
President Trump stunning his Republican base during a meeting with legislators Wednesday about Gun Control. "Take the guns first, go through due process second," said Trump during a bipartisan meeting at the White House. College Student Kassy Dillon, who founded Lone Conservative, reacts to Trump's departure from his base on this issue.
Is Trump Walking Back His Gun Control Comments?
President Trump "upset a lot of his base" by saying we should confiscate guns, and that's why he seems to be walking back those comments on Twitter, says Kassy Dillon, founder of conservative website Lone Conservative.
Load More