When he accepted the cultural diversity position at the Wheeling YWCA, Ron Scott Jr. knew he had landed in the right spot because of his lifelong goal of helping young, black individuals in the Upper Ohio Valley.
In fact, long before he joined executive director Lori Jones at the YWCA, Scott had established the Ohio Valley African American Students Association, a non-profit organization that annually recognizes local African American high school seniors for their academic accomplishments and distributes scholarships, as well.
Now OVAASA is under the Wheeling YWCA umbrella with Scott’s intent intact, and he also is involved with the “Together We Stand” initiative with Ohio County Schools to address racism and social injustice with the students and the staff and faculty. Following the senseless death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, protests were launched countrywide, and for a while Scott witnessed something he had never seen.
Understanding.
But he also expected push-back, and over the last couple of weeks it has been more apparent. That is one of several reasons why the Wheeling YWCA is now joining sister organizations throughout the tri-state region to promote the following petition in an effort to have racism declared a public health crisis in the state of West Virginia.
Joining our YWCA sisters in cities like Cleveland, Columbus, and Pittsburgh, YWCA Wheeling is declaring racism a public health crisis and inviting our leaders to do the same. This petition will be presented to the West Virginia General Assembly. By signing on to this petition, you are helping generate increased resources and attention on racial disparities and how racism impacts health outcomes by encouraging the community to tackle racism through this lens.
Declaration:
We agree that Racism is a Public Health Crisis and commit to take urgent action because:
- Race is a social construct with no biological basis.
- Racism is a social system with multiple dimensions: individual racism is internalized or interpersonal and systemic racism is institutional or structural, and is a system of structuring opportunity and assigning value based on the social interpretation of how one looks, that unfairly disadvantages some individuals and communities, unfairly advantages other individuals and communities, and saps the strength of the whole society through the waste of human resources.
- Racism causes persistent racial discrimination in housing, education, employment and criminal justice, and an emerging body of research demonstrates that racism is a social determinant of health.
- More than 100 studies have linked racism to worse health outcomes.
- In West Virginia, the highest excess death rates exist for African Americans at every stage in the life course.
- The American Public Health Association (APHA) has launched a National Campaign Against Racism. Public health’s responsibilities to address racism include reshaping our discourse and agenda so that we all actively engage in racial justice work.
- While there is no epidemiological definition of “crisis,” the health impact of racism clearly rises to the definition.
The individuals who agree with the above statements can sign the online petition here: http://ywcawheeling.org/programs/cultural-diversity-community/.
In your opinion, how has the Wheeling area changed since George Floyd died on May 25?
Since the death of George Floyd, it seems like Wheeling has been on a roller coaster ride. Immediately after, there was an awakening and outpouring of empathy like I had never seen before. Wheeling, like the rest of the country, has had to deal with the ugly reality that racism does exist. We have had to examine how we feel about that fact and what, if anything, we are going to do about it. I think that the death of George Floyd has forced many to think about this for the first time. This has caused uneasiness for some and created a passion for renewal in others. I have been pleased to see so many of our Wheeling leadership take a stand. I have personally heard from our mayor, City Council representatives, our chief of police, educators and civic organizations to join them in their efforts to spread a culture of equity and unity within our community. This has made me very proud to be a part of this city. This energy makes me hopeful that we can, together, create an even better and stronger community.
My words of encouragement to those who are leading the way is -DO Not Become Discouraged. The work is hard and at times can be uncomfortable. It may push you beyond your comfort zone. Just remember that a united Wheeling is better and stronger than a divided Wheeling. Also remember that as the Director of Culture Diversity and Community Outreach for the YWCA Wheeling, I am available to assist you in any way that I can. Together, we can do this.
What has surprised you the most over the last few months?
The most surprising developments in the past few months have been the local “concerned citizen groups” that have popped up all over the Valley and the overwhelming support of our Wheeling leadership. To be honest, my phone has been ringing off the hook, and nothing could make me happier. I have been asked to advise and present at our local colleges, civic groups, Ohio and Belmont County schools and some of our private schools. They genuinely want to be a part of a solution, and I’m excited to help in any way possible. It is also surprising to see groups that have formed as a response to the events of the past few months. A group of local businesses and organizations together with Ziegenfelders and the Wheeling P.D have formed a group called One Wheeling Unite. Cops and Pops will be their first event tentatively scheduled for this spring. I am also aware of Lift up O.V, Men of Change, and O.V. Cares. Again, these are our neighbors dedicated to uniting our city more than ever before.
It is not so much of a surprise, but I need to mention the continued work of the YWCA Wheeling that has made eliminating racism a part of its very fiber for over a century. They continue to lead this effort by initiating #ChangeForA20. You can help us create additional equity awareness education and programming with a simple $20 bill. Use the same $20 that brought the current social unrest to a climax and use it to create opportunity and equity. Go to www.ywcawheeling.org to learn more and donate.
The YWCA Wheeling is also on a mission to declare racism a public health crisis in WV. They will be presenting a petition, to this end, to the West Virginia General Assembly. By signing this petition, you are helping to generate resources and attention on racial disparities and the impact that racism plays regarding health outcomes. Go to www.ywcawheeling.org to learn more and to sign the petition.
Please explain how you will continue assisting Ohio County Schools with the district’s “Together We Stand” programs.
We are starting off with our Back To School supplies giveaway with one of the new local groups that have sprung up called, Men of Change, this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 15th & Jacob streets We are also participating in a community book study. The book, “Between The World & Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates is being read by students, faculty, and community members to help gain insight into the Black experience in America. We are also having Minority Business Tour where students can visit businesses in the area that are owned and operated by different minority groups. They will learn the process of entrepreneurship straight from those who achieved it. The YWCA Wheeling, WALS, & OCS are also planning a HBCU Tour with area students as well. Ohio County School’s approach to all of this has been impressive and admirable.
What do some people not understand about racial injustice, and how do you try to teach them the realities of America’s society? Please explain.
The biggest thing that I think gets misunderstood about racial injustice is the fact that most of it comes from an ingrain, almost subconscious place that we have been conditioned to believe about others and often ourselves. I think it is going to take a lot of time to try and unlearn biases and beliefs that have been handed down from generation to generation like traditions. The one thing that I am sure of is that you’ll know when you are changing the status quo when you begin feeling uncomfortable with “the way things have always been.’”
Please explain how racism has become a public health crisis in our country, and what can be changed so that no longer is true.
Racism has always been a public health crisis. We have just never seen it as one. This is not to be confused with a pandemic or any other medical anomaly. Racism affects an individual’s Mental, Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual wellbeing. That effect creates a symptomology that bleeds into how the individual is treated within and views, their surroundings. Those symptoms will eventually strip away all feelings of community, individuality, safety, and lastly hope. The amount of change that must take place is large when you look at it, but if you break it up into individual steps, it is quite achievable. Once the attitudes of those who are not affected and those who may unknowingly perpetuate the condition are changed, we can start making progress. The best foundations for that type of change are ideas like “Pro-Black does not mean Anti-White” and shifting from not being comfortable around racism to making racism uncomfortable around you; are definite ways to start the process. As an agency, we will continue work with Organizations like Wheeling PD, OCS, Wheeling Country Day School, and West Liberty University to ensure that entities that shape the minds and hearts of others continue to include compassion, inclusion, and diversity at their core.
