Click on the #CAR location to discover more about our Chapters, their strategic goals and contacts to become part of the CAR movement.

Between July 2018 and September 2019, our members launched 23 chapters across 10 countries

Chapter countries: Brazil, Columbia, Haiti, Palestine, Spain, Rwanda, Uganda, US, Zimbabwe
US chapters: 12 states plus Navajo Nation and Washington, DC
Membership and engagement: 250 active members and 1500 health professionals and allies engaged through various actions in our first year

Examples of Anti Racism tactics with CAR

• Conference on internalized racism and skin bleaching in Haiti

• Formation of an African anti-racism network

• Educational series on racism and capitalism in Uganda

• Medical students implementing a Racial Justice Report Card system at medical schools across the United States

• Prison health advocacy events in Atlanta

• Building a decolonized approach to community work with People´s Assembly in New Orleans

Organizing Statements of Our Chapters

ATLANTA MOREHOUSE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

We are organizing the incarcerated, medical personnel, and local grassroots advocates on behalf of and with the incarcerated in order to establish an actionable network of incarcerated/formerly incarcerated, conscious healthcare workers, and community advocates within the next 2- 4 years

NEW ORLEANS

We are organizing residents and medical students to retool specific components of the healthcare system in New Orleans that contribute to health inequities via enforcing white supremacy and other systems of oppression by implementing a number of changes that broadly include educating residents, partnering with the community, and advocating for our patients to achieve a more inclusive and equitable clinical environment for New Orleanians.

PALESTINE

We are organizing the communities of Aida and Azza Refugee Camps to pursue their health rights as Palestinian refugees by creating awareness about racism, the rights they are entitled to and training the community in acting collectively to achieve better healthcare services and justice. We will do this by setting up weekly trainings for community health workers with First Intifada activists throughout 2019 and organizing a two-week training in the summer with Nisreen Haj Ahmad. In a second stage CHWs will work in organizing other community members.

RWANDA

We are organizing SOCOMED Rwanda to pursue health promotion by having a constructive dialogue to raise awareness of how colonialism, racism and capitalism cause health inequity. We will achieve this by April 2019.

UGANDA

We are organizing the Uganda Social Medicine Consortium Chapter to achieve racial equality among institutions (hospitals, schools, universities and workplaces) in Uganda by educating health professional and general population about racism as a structural and social determinant of health in post -colonial Uganda to achieve a goal of creating awareness about racism and how it impacts on the health professionals and general population. We will do this by establishing the understanding of Ugandan population of racism through the racism awareness tool / Implicit Assessment Test , survey and a wide social media campaign against racism in Uganda 

Campaign Against Racism FAQ

How did CAR start?

CAR was originally conceptualized by the past president of the American Public Health Association Dr. Camara Jones. Dr. Jones was the keynote speaker at the Chicago-based 2nd annual Social Medicine Consortium Conference in April 2017.  During this time, Dr. Jones presented the idea to SMC leadership, and asked if the SMC could take on one facet of the campaign – a committee that would be dedicated to global issues of racism.  SMC agreed to this and the CAR was further conceptualized in November 2017 at the APHA Annual Conference in Atlanta. The SMC officially launched the campaign with over 350 members from around the world, in partnership with Dr. Jones, at our 3rd annual conference in April 2018 in Churchrock, New Mexico.

How does the CAR work?

The CAR is a network of chapters.  Chapters sign on and agree to be a part of the campaign by declaring their strategic goal for their direct community.  There will be a series of in-person and online meetings during the year during which chapters can share they success stories and challenges, participate in community organizing training, and build relationships with organizers from around the world.  The CAR leadership team will offer resources and support to each chapter to ensure that each chapter reaches their goals.

How do I further support the CAR movement?

If you would like to make a monetary donation to the campaign you can do so by clicking this link.  If you are part of a larger organization and would like to support CAR in a different way, please contact us by emailing mmorse@equalhealth.org

How long will CAR last?

Formally, the SMC will be coordinating the Campaign Against Racism until October 2020 when all chapters convene for the 5th annual Social Medicine Consortium Conference in Uganda: October 15-17, 2020. Informally, the SMC will be continuing the campaign until the impact of racism on health is eliminated.

Additional Resources

-National Campaign Against Racism website (Center for the Study of Racism, Social Justice & Health) .