A group of MPH students is working to "undo racism" across the School and community.
CORE – the Committee on Oppression, Racism, and Education – was formed in fall 2013 by students from the Community-Oriented Public Health Practice Program in the Department of Health Services. Its mission is "to push anti-racism as a model and value for our own lives, institutions, organizations, and communities."
Students have held workshops and trainings across campus with The People's Institute, and mostly recently worked with Health Alliance International, an NGO affiliated with the Department of Global Health. CORE also supports local youth groups addressing issues of racism.
"Some believe we're in a post-race society, but people of color still have poor health outcomes," says graduate student Ariel Hart, one of CORE's leaders. Jenn Hagedorn, another student leader, says race is embedded in public health institutions and "infused into our classroom culture."
Students of color often feel isolated, and racism can manifest itself in subtle forms of "micro-agression," the students say.
"Unless we start a conversation here while we're studying public health, when are we going to do that," Hart asks.
Hart says members of CORE have served on the admissions committee for the COPHP program and are mentoring first-year MPH students who will continue CORE's work. Also within the School, they are working with administrators to discuss integrating anti-racism into the SPH curriculum.
Across the university, she adds, "We have met with medical students and those in the Evans School who are interested in doing similar work." On April 14, CORE members plan to present a poster about their work at the Center for Teaching and Learning Symposium.