内容摘要：. Black infants in Sacramento County had a death rate twice as high as the overall infant death rate in 2020. And between 2010 and 2020, Black, Asian and Hispanic women were all more likely to die during childbirth than white women.

. Black infants in Sacramento County had a death rate twice as high as the overall infant death rate in 2020. And between 2010 and 2020, Black, Asian and Hispanic women were all more likely to die during childbirth than white women.

“If racism as a public health crisis was truly operationalized, we would have more people graduating from high school. If it was truly operationalized, people could live to their full potential and not worry about being mistaken by a police officer for having a gun,” said Paine, who was the chief of staff at the city’s health department from late 2019 to March 2021. “And those aren’t changes you can speak to overnight.”Wisconsin’s biggest city now has a

, released in December, that wants to address racism as a public health crisis in various ways — from increasing voter registration to improving infant mortality rates, which are three times higher among Black infants than white infants.The plan also highlights the need to improve housing conditions, and one of the health department’s key priorities is addressing lead poisoning in older homes. Black children in Milwaukee are up to 2.7 times more likely to have elevated blood lead levels compared to other races, according to the community health improvement plan.“When the built environment is essentially a poison in your families, you’re going to see health outcomes that affect that,” health department commissioner Dr. Michael Totoraitis said, giving an example that kids might be “deemed problematic at school because they were lead-poisoned and have permanent brain damage.”

Deanna Branch’s 11-year old son, Aidan, got lead poisoning when he was a toddler. She pointed to the dilapidated housing that she and many Black Milwaukee residents have to live in.“We have to work with what we have and do what we have to do to keep that place safe for our kids,” Branch said, adding, “rent is getting higher, but the upkeep of apartments isn’t changing at all.”

Longtime racial equity advocate Melody McCurtis said she’s interested in some parts of the plan — but is largely still skeptical.

“When it comes down to tackling racism, I don’t want to see, I don’t want to hear the word ‘explore,’” said McCurtis, who is deputy director of Metcalfe Park Community Bridges, a resident-led community group. “I know you have to explore things, but some of these things, there’s been plenty of research done already … What is the real strategy that’s really going to get folks where we need to be?”Furniture for sitting, sleeping and eating is where you should spend more money on quality, says Jillian Hayward Schaible of Susan Hayward Interiors.

“We encourage clients to invest in pieces like sofas/sectionals, beds, dining tables and upholstered items, because you can really feel the difference when these items are well-made,” she says.Peter Spalding of the designer furniture sourcing platform Daniel House Club notes that imitations of Chippendale and other legacy-style pieces — think cabinets and wingback chairs, for example — were common in the ‘80s and early ’90s.

“Now, the imitations aren’t very valuable, but the originals remain highly sought after,” he says. “As you collect ‘slow furniture,’ buy the most authentic versions you can afford.”Dan Mazzarini of BHDM Design and ARCHIVE echoes the advice.