Racism Is A Public Health Crisis That Cannot Be Ignored

A message from Chuck Jones, President & CEO of Harbor Health

On behalf of our Board of Directors, our leadership team, and every single member of our staff at Harbor, I would like to voice our steadfast determination to bring an end to inequality and racism in healthcare, in our communities, and in our world.

Racism is a public health crisis that simply cannot be ignored. 

It can be hard, however, when our feelings are so raw, to pinpoint the actions that will have the kind of deep, meaningful, and lasting outcomes that will lead to the truly just and humane society we want our country to be – not just for some, but for all.

I am proud to work alongside colleagues at our community health centers who have already come forward with ideas that can be part of our first action steps, including addressing bias in healthcare with more training for our staff.

As we develop a more complete anti-racism response as an organization, we are reminded that at the very heart of the decision Dr. Geiger and Dr. Gibson made to open the first community health center in the country in Columbia Point was the motivation to show the people living there that someone cared about their health and well-being.  That someone was ready to not only acknowledge, but also to do something about the injustices and inequities they had experienced for too long.

We all still feel that way at Harbor Health.

Black lives matter.

Chuck Jones
President and CEO