Health Equity and Racial Justice Fund Co-Sponsors Celebrate Legislature’s Inclusion of the Fund in the Budget

Sacramento, CA – The Health Equity and Racial Justice Fund Co-Sponsors (listed below) released the following statement in response to the Senate and Assembly Budget (FY 2022-2023).

“We thank Speaker Anthony Rendon, Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins, Senator Nancy Skinner, Assemblymember Phil Ting, and the entire legislature for their unyielding support of the Health Equity and Racial Justice Fund.

The legislature truly understands the need for this historic and innovative fund to directly grant community-based organizations, clinics, and tribal organizations the resources they need to overcome health inequities and advance racial justice across the state of California.

The Senate and Assembly have proposed $75 million ongoing for the Health Equity and Racial Justice Fund, which ‘will support community-based organizations to reduce health disparities and address the public health impacts of systemic racism’ in a culturally responsive manner.

Now, we ask once again for the second year in a row, does Governor Newsom stand with communities of color, low income communities, and LGBTQ+ communities to support community-led projects to overcome health inequities and the impacts of systemic racism? Or will Governor Newsom continue to ignore the calls by the California Legislature and over 200+ organizations on the need to address these critical issues facing our most vulnerable communities?

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Full list of co-sponsors:

Asian Pacific Partners for Empowerment, Advocacy, and Leadership
Black Women for Wellness
California Black Women’s Health Project
California Black Health Network
California Pan-Ethnic Health Network
Latinas for Reproductive Justice
Latino Coalition for a Healthy California
Public Health Advocates
Public Health Institute
Roots of Change
Roots Community Health Center