Racism harms Black men’s well-being — but advocacy can heal

DR. SIRRY ALANG Centuries of racism are built into our country’s structure, including education, healthcare, employment, finance, housing, and judicial systems. Racism takes the form of unequal education; inconsistent hiring practices and job opportunities; little or no access to healthcare and/or insurance; racial profiling; police brutality; higher and more severe incarceration; and discriminatory lending practices that make it hard for Black people to get loans, buy homes, and build wealth. Racial barriers make it tougher for Black men to succeed in life than their White counterparts, including their ability to get good healthcare. These barriers harm Black men’s physical and mental health more profoundly than white men. According to the CDC, the life expectancy of non-Hispanic/Black Americans is four years lower than White Americans. Racial and ethnic minority groups also have higher rates of illness and death across a wide range of health conditions. University of Pittsburgh’s Dr. Sirry Alang, Associate Dean of Equity and Justice and Associate Professor of Health & Human Development, studies how racism shapes health over a person’s lifespan. “Structural racism is about two basic things for Black communities,” she explains. “It’s about unequal access to resources, including power, and how Black people are dehumanized and...