PROGRESS

Minneapolis City Council Declares Racism a ‘Public Health Emergency’

The resolution approved Friday calls for city leadership to take several steps to combat racial inequality in Minneapolis.

The Minneapolis City Council on Friday declared racism a “public health emergency” in a unanimous resolution nearly two months after George Floyd was killed while in police custody. The resolution calls for city leadership to take several steps and vows to “name, reverse, and repair the harm done” by racial inequality. It calls for a racial advisory group to review the city charter and other policies and “establish a long-term sustainable source” of funding to increase developmental programming for youth of color.

“By declaring racism a public health emergency, the City of Minneapolis will recognize the severe impact of racism on the well-being of residents and city overall and allocate funding, staff, and additional resources to actively engage in racial equity in order to name, reverse, and repair the harm done to BIPOC,” the resolution states. Friday’s move is a serious of steps local officials have taken to combat racism since Floyd’s death, including conducting a year-long study about public safety in the city—which could include replacing the police department.