Governor Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation today declaring February 2022 as Black History Month, and has released a video commemorating the observance.
The text of the proclamation can be found here and a copy is below:
This month, we pay homage to the rich history and contributions of AfricanAmericans who have shaped our state and nation in innumerable ways.
First proposed by scholar Carter G. Woodson in 1926, Black History Month
rightfully centers the struggles and triumphs of African-Americans to tell a
fuller story of America and the diverse communities that built it.
This year’s theme, Black Health and Wellness, lifts up the contributions of
African-Americans to medicine while shining a light on persistent health
disparities impacting the community. California is committed to closing
these equity gaps by making health care, including mental health services,
more accessible than ever before and expanding support for the most
vulnerable among us.
With the maternal and infant mortality rate among African-Americans
significantly higher than the state average, I was honored to sign the
landmark Momnibus Act last year to advance our efforts in tackling the
socio-economic factors and structural racism at the heart of these
preventable tragedies. Building on the state’s Black Infant Health Program,
Perinatal Equity Initiative and other targeted supports,
We’ve added Medi- Cal coverage for doulas, extended Medi-Cal eligibility for postpartum
individuals, provided easier access to CalWORKs for pregnant people, and
required perinatal health care providers to undergo implicit bias training.
Throughout the pandemic, California has taken action to address the
disproportionate toll on communities of color. Through robust partnerships
with faith leaders, community-based organizations and ethnic media, the
state has kept equity at the center of our COVID vaccination and testing
outreach, meeting Californians where they are with culturally-competent
engagement and information.
As our recovery continues, we’re not letting
up on this focus to tackle the wide-ranging disparities laid bare by the
pandemic to ensure that all Californians have an opportunity to reach their
dreams.
As we honor the accomplishments and history of African-Americans this
month, we reflect on the injustices of the past that shape our present.
Together, we’ll continue to make strides toward a California for All that
supports the health and well-being of all our communities and where all
families can thrive.
NOW THEREFORE I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California,
do hereby proclaim February 2022, as “Black History Month.”
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto
set my hand and caused the Great
Seal of the State of California to be
affixed this 3rd day of February 2022.
World News
TDPel Media
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