Health: anti-racism reading and resources

The Basics

Race shapes who gets care, what kind of care they get and how long they live. Black, Brown and Indigenous communities face higher rates of illness and worse treatment in hospitals and clinics, and the causes are rooted in racism, not biology. Health justice means fixing the system, not blaming the patient.

We’ve covered health for years. Every issue is in our archive. Read past issues >

Three words that come up again and again on this topic. See all of our key terminology >

Implicit Bias — Unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that shape how we understand people and make decisions about them.
Disability Justice — A movement that challenges ableism and centers disabled people, especially disabled people of color.
Ableism — Discrimination against disabled people, through physical barriers, attitudes or stereotypes.

What is Gender-Affirming Care?
Dozens of anti-trans laws have been passed recently, with many banning gender-affirming care for youth.
Andrew Lee May 30, 2023
The Racial Origins of BMI
The Body Mass Index, a tool integrated into the U.S. healthcare system, was created from research that was deeply flawed and exclusive.
Dominique Stewart Apr 5, 2022
The Latest Round of Anti-DEI Attacks Targets Maternal Health
Conservative efforts to stymie equity and inclusion efforts are causing severe consequences for marginalized communities.
Dominique Stewart Nov 30, 2023
How to Address Loneliness in a Disconnected World
Despite being one of the most connected societies in the age of social media, forums, and live streaming, America is facing a loneliness epidemic.
Dominique Stewart Oct 24, 2023
The Barriers to End-of-Life Hospice Care
Underserved communities withheld end-of-life support as healthcare disparities in hospice care access grow.
Kayla Hui, MPH Jul 14, 2023
The Growing Threat to Contraception Access
Recent attacks on contraception threaten to undo decades of progress made by the landmark Griswold v. Connecticut ruling.
Dominique Stewart Jun 8, 2023

These groups are led by people of color and work on health every day. Follow them for updates and ways to help.

BEAM (Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective) Trains and funds Black mental health and healing work. Visit their website, and follow @_beamorg on Instagram to get updates in your newsfeed.
Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum Advocates for health equity for Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Visit their website, and follow @apiahf on Instagram to get updates in your newsfeed.
National Indian Health Board Represents Tribal nations on health care and public health policy. Visit their website, and follow @nihb1 on Instagram to get updates in your newsfeed.

Independent newsrooms that cover health often. Read and donate if you can!

KFF Health News. Nonprofit newsroom on health care, costs and health inequities. Follow @kffhealthnews on Instagram.
Word In Black. Black press collaborative with a strong health equity beat. Follow @wordinblacknews on Instagram.
Healthbeat. Nonprofit newsroom covering public health and its effects on communities. Follow @healthbeatnews on Instagram.

ps – this is a community-created guide that is updated often. Want to make changes/corrections? Complete this form.