Let's Stop Weathering

Weathering: The Extraordinary Stress of Ordinary Life in an Unjust Society shows us how coping daily with injustice degrades physical and mental health. We see the human cost of injustice down to the cellular level.

The purpose of “Let’s Stop Weathering” is to encourage allies and partners to understand these root causes of stress and address them – by communicating, building experiences that lift and heal us, improving physical and mental health care, and designing systems that serve individuals and grow equity in Indiana.

What Can We Do to Stop Weathering?

The Let’s Stop Weathering initiative launched in the fall of 2023 with a conversation with Dr. Geronimus in Indianapolis. More than 300 people representing Asian, Black, Hispanic, white, LGBTQ and faith groups, attended the talk. 45 organizations signed on as partners to host events in the coming year to address weathering.

Many organizations and community groups are doing great work to address poverty, education and employment gaps, and improve health. Collaboration can help create lasting improvement and foundational change.

Call to Action:

Buy the book at your local independent bookstore and suggest it for your book club.
Plan and submit an event.
Consider and share how we can address the underlying causes of weathering.
Know your legislators.
- Indianapolis - indy.gov Elected Officials
- Indiana - IN.gov Elected Officials
Check your voter registration - Indiana Voters IN.gov

PBS NOVA

CRITICAL CONDITION: HEALTH IN BLACK AMERICA

NOVA-1

Black Americans are nearly twice as likely to have high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease as White Americans, and their life expectancy is about five years shorter. Why? In this special feature-length documentary, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Stanley Nelson investigates the dramatic health disparities in the US, even as scientists confirm no meaningful genetic differences between races. From the deep history of pseudoscientific beliefs about race that still permeate modern medicine to the latest research on how experiencing discrimination can directly damage human cells, Critical Condition explores the factors behind the health crisis facing Black Americans.

Urge Congress: Save Public Media: https://protectmypublicmedia.org/

Relevant Studies and Podcasts

TOXIC HERITAGE

A group of faculty, students, and community members is committed to using rigorous research, public scholarship, and community agency to create change. Based in the Cultural Heritage Research Center, IU School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI (Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis).

AGENTS OF CHANGE

Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health has teamed up with Environmental Health News to form Agents of Change in Environmental Justice.

THE MENTAL HEALTH OF MINORITY AND MARGINALIZED YOUNG PEOPLE

Murthy VH. The Mental Health of Minority and Marginalized Young People: An Opportunity for Action. Public Health Reports. 2022;137(4):613-616. doi:10.1177/00333549221102390

ADVANCING HEALTH EQUITY, ELIMINATING HEALTH DISPARITIES

CDC-Preventing Chronic Disease (PCD) collection of studies.