How does racial injustice relate to health equity? Listen to these podcasts to find out.

By Jackie Nappo and Jill Zorn

Recently, Universal Health Care has been talking about disparate health outcomes, particularly as they relate to race. After our recent conversation with Tekisha Everette and Stephanye Clarke, which can be watched here, we wanted to offer some more resources for folks who are interested in learning more about disparities and where they come from.

This list of podcast recommendations is a good place to start for anyone interested in listening to more conversations about race, health, and how those two have factored into the U.S. COVID-19 situation.

From the John’s Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, speaks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein. Dr. Benjamin says racism is in many ways the original sin that has resulted in a range of disparate health impacts. If we don’t address racism at its core, we won’t be able to fundamentally improve health and health inequities. Listen here.

Jemele Hill interviews Ibram X. Kendi, author of “How to be an Anti-Racist” and “Stamped from the Beginning”.

How did we go from having a Black president to a racist one? As anti-racism makes progress, so does racism. Listen to Ibram X. Kendi talk about the progression of the country and what anti-racism and racism really are. Listen here.

Jonathan Capehart, a Black columnist with the Washington Post, interviews Robin DiAngelo, author of “White Fragility”. They talk about how racism is a white people’s problem, and how white people have the responsibility to address it. That starts with being able to talk to one another frankly about racism. Listen here.

Kara Swisher interviews Nikole Hannah-Jones, creator of the 1619 Project at the New York Times. Before the pandemic, folks were arguing that “essential workers” didn’t deserve a livable wage. Now we see that society cannot function without these essential workers: grocery workers, janitors, delivery people, etc. Nikole Hannah-Jones explores society’s relationship to essential workers. Listen here.

Co-hosts Dr. Celine Gounder an Ron Klain speak with Dr. Helene Gayle and Dr. Aletha Maybank. Aletha Maybank is the AMA’s chief health equity officer. Helene Gayle is the CEO of the Chicago Community Trust.

Data don’t suggest that African Americans are more susceptible to the virus, data suggest the’re more susceptible to more difficult and severe disease and poorer outcomes. Why is that? Listen here.

Dr. Camara Jones is one of the most well-known authorities on health disparities. When COVID-19 began spreading, she knew what was coming for older people and Black communities. Though this episode came out early in the pandemic, Dr. Jones’ words are particularly resonant. Listen here.