NCSD stands with those seeking to dismantle longstanding systemic racism in the U.S. and end the police violence that it fuels. The horrific murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers last week, the recent deaths of Breonna Taylor and Tony McDade at the hands of police, and the vigilante murder of Ahmaud Arbery are stark testimony to the pervasiveness of unequal justice and police brutality against Black people and the corroding thread of racism.

Systemic racism is a public health crisis. In the U.S., there are systems in place that act as barriers to life, health, and opportunity for Black communities that do not exist for other communities. Black Americans face higher rates of HIV/STDs, infant mortality, COVID-19 cases and deaths, and higher rates and deaths from a range of chronic health conditions.

This is systemic racism.

As a national public health organization, NCSD is committed to being anti-racist and part of the solution.

Black lives matter.

Values We Hold & Actions We Are Taking

• NCSD is committed to using an anti-racism lens in all our work and will begin by updating our current staff position descriptions and ensuring all future staff position descriptions emphasize this work.
• We are committed to addressing systemic racism that fuels health disparities and police brutality against Black communities as part of our public health policy advocacy.
• We are committed to promoting health equity for Black Americans and other communities of color through our policy advocacy and the training and technical assistance that we provide our members.
• We will advocate for future funding cycles of federal STD prevention and Ending the HIV Epidemic plans to include anti-racism work and address health disparities that are caused by racism and injustice.
• We are creating a Health and Racial Equity Working Group to address the racial disparities in the STD epidemic. If you are an NCSD member interested in joining the group, please contact Shameka Jennings at [email protected].
• We are committed to centering the voices and lives of Black Americans, listening, and ensuring our work is informed by this community.
• We will work with our STD public health colleagues to incorporate principles that address systemic racism in all our work.
• We are expanding and formalizing required staff trainings on cultural competence and anti-racism. These trainings will be extended to all NCSD members.

We plan to lead, and we look to you, our nation’s public health leaders, to tell us how we can better support you in this work.

Resources – A list of resources, studies, toolkits, and more that you can use to learn, listen, and help guide conversations in your programs and communities can be found on the NCSD website at this link. We will continue to update these resources regularly.