Silence is NOT an Option
December 2024
International Day for the Abolition of Slavery: On December 2
AIDS Awareness Month
Universal Human Rights Month
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Awareness Month
I Established by the United Nations, The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery calls for the eradication of forced labor, modern slavery, and human trafficking by 2030. According to Free For Life International, 40% of U.S. sex trafficking victims are Black. In a study by the Urban Institute, traffickers reported that they believed they would receive less jail time for trafficking Black women. The disproportionate number of Black women and girls who are trafficked are a direct result of local, state, and national governments who refuse to protect the lives of these women, implement policies that harm black bodies, and criminalize rather than assist victims of trafficking and abuse.
II In this talk we learn about the historical context and modern consequences of structural racism in HIV treatment of African American individuals. Amongst the many facts shared,, African Americans are prescribed HIV prevention medications at alarmingly lower rates than their White counterparts.
III Human Rights Watch reports of 2023 on the United States shows that the racial wealth gap remained stark, with Black families having 24 cents and Hispanic families having 23 cents for every US$1 of White family wealth, and has changed very little over the last 50 years.
IV Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression that causes people to experience mood changes based on the seasons. Symptoms usually begin in late fall or early winter and improve during spring and summer. According to the US Surgeon General, HHS. Mental Health: Culture, Races, and Ethnicity—A Supplement to Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General, compared to Whites, African Americans are:
a) Less likely to receive guideline-consistent care;
b) Less frequently included in research;
c) More likely to use emergency rooms (rather than mental health specialists).
***CALL TO ACTION***
In May 2023, US Representative Cori Bush introduced a resolution urging the federal government to provide reparations for enslavement and its legacies. Congressional leadership did not bring either the new resolution or the House bill to the floor for a vote. You can help by contacting your House of Representative and urging them to support and bring this resolution to the floor for a vote.
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
