Undoing racism through a community-based African American infant mortality reduction program

The Genesee County REACH Community-Based Public Health partnership developed and implemented a community action plan which contributed significantly to a historic low rate of African American and overall infant mortality in the county. Central to the partnership's success was a multi-sector commitment to addressing historical, cultural, and structural aspects of racism as a focus of community planning and intervention activities. The REACH partnership supports education, community mobilization, and healthcare advocacy to reduce the harmful impact of racial inequities within social, educational, and healthcare institutions. One aspect is the integration of the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond's Undoing Racism Workshop (URW). The REACH program hosts a specially tailored adaptation of the Undoing Racism Workshop (URW), which addresses factors related to maternal and infant health. The URWs are attended by local health professionals, educators, and community residents. Evaluation data indicate that the URWs are effective in promoting an understanding of racism, institutional racism, and how issues related to race/ethnicity can affect health. As a result of the URW, participants report being more likely to take action to help end racism in their workplaces and communities, as well as take action that may reduce African American infant mortality. This presentation will document how the REACH partnership activities incorporate APHA 2010's meeting theme “Social Justice: Public Health Imperative.”