As followers of Jesus Christ and public health educators, we condemn racism in all its forms. These forms include structural racism—power inequalities perpetuated in our society that systematically confer advantage and privilege on the dominant racial group at the expense of oppressed racial groups—as well as interpersonal racism—explicit attitudes of prejudice and actions of discrimination between individuals. We hold that all forms of racism are inconsistent with the teachings of Jesus Christ. We accept moral responsibility to identify and eliminate racism in processes, laws, organizational attitudes, and interpersonal relations, including in our own institutions and in ourselves. We strive to uphold Jesus Christ’s teachings by treating all people with love, respect, kindness, and dignity and by promoting inclusion, justice, and equity.
