Economy

Racial disparities make it harder to ‘die well’

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN – RECORDER — African Americans experience an earlier onset and greater risk of what may be referred to as lifestyle-related diseases — cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes. More than 40 percent of African Americans over the age of 20 are diagnosed with high blood pressure, compared to 32 percent of all Americans.

Published

6 years ago

July 22, 2019

By Jason Ashe and Danielle L. Beatty Moody

The world got an idea recently from 92-year-old Buddhist monk and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh, who popularized mindfulness and meditation in the U.S. The monk returned to his home in Vietnam to pass his remaining years. Many admired his desire to live his remaining time in peace and dignity.

Researchers from the University of California-San Diego recently did a literature search to understand what Americans might consider to be a “good death” or “successful dying.” As can be expected, their findings varied. People’s views were determined by their religious, social and cultural norms and influences.

The researchers urged healthcare providers, caregivers and the lay community to have open dialogues about preferences for the dying process.

As scholars who study social health and human services psychology, we found something missing in these conversations — how race impacts life span. It’s important to recognize that not everyone has an equal chance at “dying well.”

Black population and ill health

Take the disease burden of the African American population.

African Americans experience an earlier onset and greater risk of what may be referred to as lifestyle-related diseases — cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes. More than 40 percent of African Americans over the age of 20 are diagnosed with high blood pressure, compared to 32 percent of all Americans.

In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that the likelihood of experiencing a first stroke is nearly twice as high for African Americans compared with Whites. African Americans are more than two times more likely to experience a stroke before the age of 55. At age 45, the mortality rate from stroke is three times higher for Blacks compared to Whites.

This disease burden consequently leads to their higher mortality rates and overall shorter life expectancy for Blacks compared to Whites.

And while the life expectancy gap differs by only a few years, 75.3 for Blacks and 78.9 for Whites as of 2016, research suggests that African Americans suffer more sickness. This is due in part to the increased prevalence of high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes in this population.

Genetics, biological factors and lifestyle behaviors, such as diet and smoking, help explain a portion of these differences. However, researchers are still learning how race-related social experiences and physical environments affect health, illness and mortality.

Access to health care

One factor is that African Americans have historically underutilized preventive medicine and healthcare services. They also delay seeking routine, necessary health care — or may not follow medical advice.

One study found that during an average month, 35 percent fewer Blacks visited a physician’s office, and 27 percent fewer visited an outpatient clinic compared with Whites. “The only time I go to the doctor is when something is really hurting. But otherwise, I don’t even know my doctor’s name,” said a young African American male during a research study in Chicago.

There are reasons for this mistrust. Researchers who study medical mistrust argue that high-profile cases of medical experiments are still playing a role in how African Americans view healthcare systems and providers.

In the past, physicians have intentionally done harm against people of color. A well-known case is the “Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis” in African American men, which lasted from 1932 to 1972.

In this clinical study, 399 African American men who had already contracted syphilis were told that they were receiving free health care from the government. In fact, doctors, knowing their critical condition, were awaiting their deaths to subsequently conduct autopsies and study the disease’s progression.

Even though penicillin had been proven to treat syphilis by 1947, these men were denied the treatment.

Why discrimination matters for health

Other studies suggest that regardless of their knowledge of past medical abuse, many African Americans have low levels of trust in medical establishments.

“Doctors, like all other people, are subject to prejudice and discrimination,” writes Damon Tweedy, author of Black Man in a White Coat: A Doctor’s Reflections on Race and Medicine. “While bias can be a problem in any profession, in medicine, the stakes are much higher.”

Unfortunately, these fears are underscored by empirical evidence that African Americans are less likely to receive pain medication management, higher quality care, or survive surgical procedures.

In addition, a growing body of literature has established that experiences of discrimination are extremely harmful to physical and mental health, particularly among African Americans. This research adds to the body of evidence that experiences of discrimination harm people’s health and may contribute to the increased rates of premature decline and death among Blacks.

What does it take to SOTdie well?

As African American scholars, we argue the “art of dying well” may be a distant and romantic notion for the African American community. African Americans are also exposed to earlier and more frequent deaths of close loved ones, immediate family members and friends.

Their increased “vulnerability to untimely deaths,” writes Duke University scholar Karla Holloway, shows African Americans’ lack of access to equitable and fair paths in life.

Before defining “a good death,” American society must first begin to fundamentally address how to promote quality living and longevity across all racial groups.

Story republished with permission from The Conversation.

Jason Ashe is a doctoral student in human services psychology at the University of Maryland. Danielle L. Beatty Moody is an assistant professor of behavioral medicine at the University of Maryland.

This article originally appeared in the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

By Jason Ashe and Danielle L. Beatty Moody

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2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Sen. Laura Richardson, Who Made Legislative History This Year

Before elected office, she served as a legislative staffer at the local, state, and federal levels and built a strong academic foundation, earning a political science degree from UCLA and an MBA from USC.

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December 29, 2025

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Sen. Laura Richardson (D-San Pedro). File photo.

By Edward Henderson, California Black Media

Elected in November 2024 to represent California’s 35th Senate District, Sen. Laura Richardson (D-San Pedro) brings decades of experience to her role.

Richardson says she remains deeply committed to empowering residents, strengthening neighborhoods, and supporting the local economy.

For example, SB 748, a bill she authored that Gov. Newsom signed into law this year, allows cities to use existing homelessness funds to clear unsafe RV encampments, and another measure aimed at expanding provider access for Medi-Cal patients.

California Black Media (CBM) spoke with Richardson about her successes and disappointments over the past year and her plans for 2026.

What stands out as your most important achievement this year?

Being number one in getting the most bills signed by a freshman senator. Our team and staff were able to effectively move legislation through committees in both the Senate and Assembly and gain the governor’s support.

How did your leadership contribute to improving the lives of Black Californians?

Securing overall agency support from the governor to begin the work of understanding and documenting descendants of slavery. The discussion around “40 acres and a mule” will be ongoing for many years, but moving forward with creating an agency—although not fully funded—was significant. They were baby steps, but they were steps.

What frustrated you the most this year?

The administration. Even though federal and state roles differ, California has its own values and priorities. When the federal government makes cuts that impact Californians, the state legislature feels the need to backfill to protect people. It was challenging and frustrating.

What inspired you the most this year?

SB 237, which I was a joint principal author on, inspired me. It dealt with fuel stability. Two refineries closed, and several others are barely hanging on. Even as we work toward zero emissions, we still need a certain amount of fuel. SB 237 opened up some of the fuel potential in Kern County, and there’s a pipeline from Kern County down to my district.

What is one lesson you learned this year that will inform your decision-making next year?

Engage the governor’s staff earlier. I’m going to push to involve the governor’s legislative staff sooner.

In one word, what is the biggest challenge Black Californians are facing right now?

Affordability. No matter how much you make, everything is more expensive—gas, groceries, insurance, mortgages. Costs keep rising while salaries don’t.

What is the goal you want to achieve most in 2026?

Creating a process for dealing with abandoned cemeteries.

The last piece—not specific to this year but building toward the future—is figuring out how people and businesses in the district and in California can participate in major events like the Olympics, FIFA, and the Super Bowl, all of which are taking place here.

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2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas – an Advocate for Jobs and Justice

I’m proud of how we fought back against the Trump Administration’s attacks, especially on the budget, and strengthened protections for workers while fortifying the cultural power of Black Los Angeles. Workers’ rights remained central in my bill package because my background in organizing taught me a simple truth: when workers do well, communities do well.

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Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles). File photo.

By Edward Henderson, California Black Media

Representing the 28^th Senate District, Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) brings a lifelong commitment to working families.

After earning her communications degree from California State University Hayward (now known as CSU, East Bay), Smallwood-Cuevas began her career as a journalist telling the stories of working people—an experience that drew her into the labor movement.

Since being elected to the California State Senate, Smallwood-Cuevas has championed legislation that strengthens worker protections, expands access to justice, and uplifts historically marginalized communities.

California Black Media (CBM) spoke with Smallwood-Cuevas about her successes and disappointments this year, as well as her goals for 2026.

What stands out as your most important accomplishment this year?

I also moved forward with the creation of California’s first Black cultural district in South LA. Amid gentrification, this district will protect cultural assets and bring resources as Los Angeles prepares for the FIFA World Cup and Olympic Games.

How did your leadership contribute to improving the lives of Black Californians this year?

We must name the disparities Black communities face—higher homelessness, incarceration, and health incidents. During the budget fight, when the governor proposed zero dollars for homelessness, I pushed hard. We secured $500 million for homelessness response, reinstated $1 billion for supportive programs, and added another $500 million for affordable housing.

What frustrated you most this year?

Our people are under attack. Racial profiling is creeping back into federal policy. Crime is being weaponized to justify disproportionate incarceration—even though crime rates are at historic lows.

But what frustrated me most was how quickly diversity, equity, and inclusion were rolled back through federal orders and preemptive action by corporations and foundations.

What has been your greatest inspiration this year?

Our resilience. California does not stay down. The movement around Proposition 50 was incredibly inspiring. I saw unity across Black California.

What is one lesson you’ve learned this year that will guide your decision-making next year?

Black California is resilient and brilliant. We are stronger than our opposition. And the lesson echoes Dr. King: “Organize, baby, organize.” We must build coalitions across local, county, and state levels.

In one word, what is the biggest challenge facing Black Californians?

Visibility. Visibility is power. We must be present—in rooms, on boards, in media, in headlines. We cannot retreat from Black identity.

What is the goal you most hope to achieve in 2026?

Economic stability. When California enters a recession, Black communities enter a depression. My goal is to advance policies that create real economic opportunity through safety-net protections, contract access, and targeted local hiring for quality jobs. crisis.

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Families Across the U.S. Are Facing an ‘Affordability Crisis,’ Says United Way Bay Area

United Way’s Real Cost Measure data reveals that 27% of Bay Area households – more than 1 in 4 families – cannot afford essentials such as food, housing, childcare, transportation, and healthcare. A family of four needs $136,872 annually to cover these basic necessities, while two adults working full time at minimum wage earn only $69,326.

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Affordable housing is the greatest concern for consumers, it’s followed by the cost of groceries. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

A national poll released this week by Marist shows that 61% of Americans say the economy is not working well for them, while 70% report that their local area is not affordable. This marks the highest share of respondents expressing concern since the question was first asked in 2011.

According to United Way Bay Area (UWBA), the data underscores a growing reality in the region: more than 600,000 Bay Area households are working hard yet still cannot afford their basic needs.

Nationally, the Marist Poll found that rising prices are the top economic concern for 45% of Americans, followed by housing costs at 18%. In the Bay Area, however, that equation is reversed. Housing costs are the dominant driver of the affordability crisis.

“The national numbers confirm what we’re seeing every day through our 211 helpline and in communities across the region,” said Keisha Browder, CEO of United Way Bay Area. “People are working hard, but their paychecks simply aren’t keeping pace with the cost of living. This isn’t about individual failure; it’s about policy choices that leave too many of our neighbors one missed paycheck away from crisis.”

The Bay Area’s affordability crisis is particularly defined by extreme housing costs:

Housing remains the No. 1 reason residents call UWBA’s 211 helpline, accounting for 49% of calls this year.
Nearly 4 in 10 Bay Area households (35%) spend at least 30% of their income on housing, a level widely considered financially dangerous.
Forty percent of households with children under age 6 fall below the Real Cost Measure.
The impact is disproportionate: 49% of Latino households and 41% of Black households struggle to meet basic needs, compared to 15% of white households.

At the national level, the issue of affordability has also become a political flashpoint. In late 2025, President Donald Trump has increasingly referred to “affordability” as a “Democrat hoax” or “con job.” While he previously described himself as the “affordability president,” his recent messaging frames the term as a political tactic used by Democrats to assign blame for high prices.

The president has defended his administration by pointing to predecessors and asserting that prices are declining. However, many Americans remain unconvinced. The Marist Poll shows that 57% of respondents disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy, while just 36% approve – his lowest approval rating on the issue across both terms in office.