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Pediatricians Asked to Fight Impact of Racism on Child Health

BIRMINGHAM TIMES — The nation’s pediatricians are calling on members to help address the impact of racism on child and adolescent health. A recent American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy statement encourages pediatricians to advocate for policies that advance social justice. That’s a good idea, said several Birmingham-area doctors.

Published

7 years ago

September 13, 2019

Oakland Post

Dr. Courtney Burrell of Alabama Regional Medical Services. (Photo by: Erica Wright | The Birmingham Times)

By Erica Wright

The nation’s pediatricians are calling on members to help address the impact of racism on child and adolescent health.

A recent American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy statement encourages pediatricians to advocate for policies that advance social justice. That’s a good idea, said several Birmingham-area doctors.

“We can ask families how they’ve experienced racism and then ask the children if they know what racism is [or] if they themselves have been a victim of racism or witnessed racism,” said Courtney Burrell, MD, a pediatrician with the Alabama Regional Medical Services (ARMS) in Birmingham.

After speaking with patients, doctors can “offer support, whether it be counseling or … medication because they’ve developed depression or anxiety, so that [patients] can flourish and become healthy citizens,” Burrell added.

Tina Simpson, MD, an assistant professor at the Alabama Regional Medical Services (UAB) in the Department of Pediatrics who practices in the Adolescent Health Center at Children’s of Alabama, said pediatricians must be cognizant of the impacts of racism.

“For instance, if a child sees the killing of unarmed black men day in and day out, that causes an amount of chronic stress for black males themselves, as well as their families, in terms of trying to raise young black males,” she said. “That stressor may affect other things in terms of depression, anxiety, potentially acting out, self-esteem issues, and concerns around safety.”

Exposure to Racism

The AAP policy statement entitled, “Racism and Its Impact on Child and Adolescent Health”—the first time the group has explicitly focused on the issue of racism—draws from hundreds of studies to alert doctors about the impact of racism on children.

“While progress has been made toward racial equality, the impact of racism on communities of color is wide-reaching, systemic, and complex,” said Maria Trent, MD, lead author of the policy statement, in a recent press release. “A combination of strategies will be needed to begin untangling the thread of racism throughout the fabric of our society, and to improve the health of all children.

She also noted, “Racism affects children before they’re even born … and continues to affect them across their lifespan. It affects them in the places they live, the institutions they interact with, including schools and law enforcement.”

Burrell agreed that racism can affect children and families in a number of ways.

“If children witness an event [involving] racism against people that look like them or maybe don’t look like them, they may be fearful of … becoming victims and experiencing violence or backlash from others because they don’t look the same, [have] the same accent, or whatever the case may be. That can cause stress.”

She added that the effects of racism on children can lead to other health problems, including weight gain, high blood pressure, anxiety, alcohol and drug abuse, and depression.

Racial Disparities

Racial disparities are prevalent and can factor into a lot of the issues faced by children, said Jaime McKinney, MD, an assistant professor in the UAB Department of Pediatrics and a pediatric physician at Children’s of Alabama.

Dr. Jaime McKinney

“Access to resources and opportunities is huge amongst our children, [including] what ZIP code they happen to be zoned for,” she said. “We have a lot of patients who witness violence in their communities on a daily basis just because of where they live. We have kids who have no access to healthy foods in the areas in which they live [because there are few] grocery stores. … All of that is racially based.”

Social determinants, such as housing, income, and even environmental circumstances, all can play a part in the health of children, said McKinney: “Say, you live in [in a community] where there is a higher level of pollution, whether it’s the land or the air, and you have asthma. … Say, there are no grocery stores in that area … and a lot of the kids go to the gas station for their foods.”

Or, it can be as simple as having a park in the neighborhood where children can play or exercise; this can affect health, too.

“Whether it’s the food they eat, the amount of exercise they get, the quality of their education system, even the ability to see a doctor, all [of this] affects every aspect of their care,” McKinney said. “We see kids with toxic stress, environmental stress … that is pretty much based on their race, what they can afford, and where they live.”

Implicit Bias

The AAP report also indicated that doctors need to check their own implicit biases.

“I’ve caught myself feeling a little biased toward certain patients because I’m like, ‘I know this family’ or ‘This type of family is going to come in with 100 complaints.’ With a different family, [however], I might just be more open,” Burrell said. “I have to really catch myself, so I don’t let that show in my attitude toward the family and to make sure I deliver proper care.”

Simpson said all people, not just doctors, have biases.

“I think one of the first things in addressing our biases is to be aware of what they are and where they are, so we can slow down and fix it through being more thoughtful in our approach,” she said, adding that it is important “to be mindful of all of our encounters, to really try to listen to patients and understand where they’re coming from and where they are, so we can understand the perspective … and improve our encounters with patients and their families.”

McKinney believes medical professionals are doing a better job of addressing racial bias. For instance, the medical school at UAB is doing a good job in the admissions process and interacting with students, she said.

“They actually require us to conduct bias training and seminars about bias and prejudgment,” said McKinney. “I think the university is doing a great job at recognizing that we all have biases and [helping us] better address that and act

Dr. Tina Simpson

accordingly.”

Solutions

McKinney has made it her personal mission “to address educational inequities based on fundamental racism.”

She believes that fighting racism begins with education, and as an assistant professor at UAB she encourages her residents to tell parents the importance of reading to their babies. She also served on Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin’s birth to pre-K task force.

“[We] had a book fair, where people donated books to families with lead characters of color,” McKinney said. “I’ve [also] been working with the medical school to increase representation of [diverse] students in the medical school and beyond.”

Simpson agreed that a more diverse and inclusive workforce can help potentially eliminate racial bias.

“With a more diverse workforce, you’re more likely to not perpetuate policies that reinforce elements of racism,” she said. “[It’s important to] slow down and thoughtfully [consider] the history of why things may be happening because racism is so ingrained in our culture. … You have to be mindful about the whys.”

This article originally appeared in The Birmingham Times.

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Published

3 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

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3 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

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3 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

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