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
Closing Bell: February 12, 2018
One of the biggest global consumers goods companies, Unilever, is threatening to stop advertising on digital platforms like Facebook and Google if the companies don't clean up their acts. Snap's Vice President of sales has left the company. A new report finds Facebook is losing a younger audience. Dow closed up 400 points after the most volatile week in two years.
A Turning Point for Cryptocurrencies
Cheddar's "The Crypto Craze" covers the latest trends, and news in the space. the cryptocurrency is floating around the $8,000 mark after a dip on Tuesday. The price has been slowly climbing again. The same pattern has been seen in other major cryptocurrencies like Ethereum and Ripple.The price of cryptocurrencies have been mostly stable is the last couple days, a big contrast to the Dow's major moves and volatile swings. Cheddar's Brad Smith and Hope King break down the factors driving this stability and the state of regulation in this space.
The Questions Many Are Thinking But No One is Asking
Kayla Webley Adler, senior features editor at Marie Claire, and Eric Sullivan, senior editor at Esquire, discuss their joint project, "Sex, Lies, and Videotape." They asked writers, celebrities, and thought leaders tough questions about the complexities of the "post-weinstein" era.
Opening Bell: February 9, 2018
It's been a wild week for the stock markets. The Dow plunged below 1,000 points for the second time ever on Thursday. Amazon is taking on UPS and FedEx, announcing a new delivery service geared towards businesses. Congress agreed on a spending bill after a brief government shutdown overnight. Snapchat is starting to show signs of recovery after a disappointing few quarters. Cheddar senior reporter Alex Heath sits down with Billy Gallagher, author of the new book "How to Turn Down a Billion Dollars: The Snapchat Story," to see what lies ahead for the company.
Government Open for Business After Brief Shutdown
Haley Byrd, congressional reporter at The Weekly Standard, and Katherine Mangu-Ward, Editor-in-Chief at Reason Magazine, discuss the 2nd government shutdown of 2018. The government closed for just over five hours before the House passed a two-year spending bill that was later signed by the president.
Closing Bell: February 8, 2018
Cheddar is dedicating the day to celebrating women, and we're calling it "Chedher"! We have special co-hosts and interviews from women in sports, tech, business, politics and more. Hope King welcomes special co-hosts Alicia Quarles and Tanzina Vega.
Between Bells: February 8, 2018
Between Bells: Cheddar turns into #chedHER, with 100% women anchors and guests. We highlight women in business, tech, entertainment, politics, and sports. With Cosmopolitan, EMILY's List, Lea DeLaria, MoveOn.org, THINX, and more!
Talking Business With Linda McMahon
Linda McMahon, head of the Small Business Administration, discusses her appointment to the role, and her journey rising through the ranks of the business world. McMahon was made head of the S.B.A. by President Trump.
Load More