When America Fixes Its Racism

A powerful envisioning commentary by Leslie Gregory, African American leader in the health equity field.

Photo by Leandro Valentino, Pexels

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - When we fix racism we’ll save or recoup the $16 trillion estimated to be lost in just this century, not accounting for the $2.4 billion related to health disparities. That money could go to healthcare for all or universal minimum wage or college.

When we fix racism there’ll be no more accelerated (police) violence against people of color, our dog whistle fears will be eliminated, and we can finally start talking substantively about gun control.

When we fix racism there will no longer be a need to elect a malignant narcissist to comfort the privileged who he frames as victims, which reinforces false and unnecessary polarization.

When we fix racism our international policies will have more meaning because other peoples would not see America as a hypocritical nation critical of others but unwilling to repair its own deep flaws.

When we fix racism law enforcement will not need or use “I feared for my life” as justification for killing unarmed black people.

When we fix racism my biracial children will no longer be asked “what are you” and asked to choose between parents with whom they’ll identify.

When we fix racism those countless lives lost to racist terror will not have been in vain.

When we fix racism we will finally, at last, pay true homage to our heroes like Martin King, JFK, John Lewis… instead of merely holding them in rhetorical high regard with performative virtue signaling.

When we fix racism Black Americans can finally live in peace and white Americans can begin to heal from guilt and both will have reduced health risks and stress of cognitive dissonance and the health impacts of mutual fear.

When we fix racism, discussions about reparations will have true and lasting meaning and have more relevance.

When we fix racism we will cease to mobilize billions of dollars to support Euro-derived countries disproportionate to darker global neighbors.

When we fix racism we can begin to address other health inequities based on gender, language, ability, age, origin, religion and other false barriers.

Because until we fix racism, all Americans will have an unrecognized traumatic debt owed not only to our forebears, but also to our progeny.

Until we fix racism only some lives matter.

Leslie Gregory is a PA-C focusing on Preventive Cardiology and is Executive Director, Right to Health.