Black lawmakers 'outraged' over Virginia health commissioner demand action

Source: Washington Post

Black lawmakers ‘outraged’ over Va. health commissioner demand action

By Jenna Portnoy and Gregory S. Schneider
June 16, 2022 at 7:34 p.m. EDT

Black state lawmakers on Thursday demanded accountability from Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin after his health commissioner, Colin Greene, dismissed the impact of structural racism on negative health outcomes for mothers of color and their babies, demoralizing a staff committed to protecting them.

Lawmakers, who said they were “nothing short of outraged at the actions and insular comments,” stopped short of calling for Greene’s resignation but requested a meeting with Youngkin (R), Greene and John Littel, secretary of Health and Human Resources, to determine how the administration will tackle health disparities.

“Greene’s actions and words cling to a worldview in which structural and institutional racism and white supremacy prevail,” members of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus said in a letter, adding that Greene’s words “signal the intentional slowing down of lifesaving policies and actions” for mothers of color.

A spokeswoman for Youngkin said he reached out to Lamont Bagby (D-Henrico), chairman of the Black Caucus, but would not say if the governor plans to meet with lawmakers per their request.

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Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/06/16/greene-racial-disparities-youngkin-virginia/

Non-paywalled link: https://wapo.st/3xzM99q

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Related:
• Tension over role of racism in public health strains Va. agency under Youngkin (Washington Post)
• Va. public health chief rejects role race can play in treatment, questions ‘blaming white people’ for disparities (The Grio)