South Fulton leaders explain declaring racism a public health concern

SOUTH FULTON, Ga. - A new push in one metro Atlanta city to address racial equity and improve communities of color.

The city of South Fulton has declared that racism is a public health concern.

Council members said they're the first city in Georgia to issue this declaration.

The council members who put forth the resolution that was making that declaration want to bring attention to the racial disparities and income inequalities in policymaking.

Despite a national outcry on racial justice, many said not much has changed in the past year regarding social inequality.

"It's gonna take some time for that needle to change because there's some deep-rooted illness in America," Councilwoman Naemma Gilyard explained. 

In an effort to move that needle forward, both the Atlanta-based CDC and DeKalb County previously declared racism as a public health crisis.

Now, South Fulton leaders said they're the first city in our state to also make this declaration.

"We really need to be a model for taking care of those who have not been able to reap the benefits that they really, really deserve," Gilyard said. 

She co-sponsored the resolution alongside Councilman Khalid Kamau.

FOX 5 was told the legislation requires the city to evaluate internal policies and procedures to ensure racial and income equity.

"Atlanta still ranks number one in terms of poor people. People who have not been able to get ahead, who have not been able to move that needle very, very far," Gilyard said.

The city also hopes to offer educational training to employees to expand their awareness of how systemic racism affects people.

"A lot of young people are out there doing things that they don't need to do. They're angry. When you cant take that anger and challenge it in some other way, you're doing it with people who look like you and are in the same position as you and the penal system is waiting on you," she said. 

The council will collect data on inequalities in their city then put forth policies addressing those problems.

The goal isn't for this declaration to just be symbolic but truly serve as a model to dismantle systemic barriers.

"It's going to be difficult because we are up against the system, the money, the corruption, and all of the foolishness but we cannot allow that to prevent us from moving forward," Gilyard said. 

City leaders said their resolution also advocates for policies that improve physical and mental health in communities of color. 

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