W**back. Ch**k. N*****. The gravity of these words is surmount and their historical context and implications remain burdensome on today’s society. These dehumanizing slurs that resulted in minorities being seen as sub-human need to be acknowledged. While it is uncomfortable, this uneasiness needs to be addressed and the issues that stem from them ameliorated, because if not, we are continuing to promote the dismissal and evasion of history through our indifference, allowing its negative effects to run rampant today.

The foundation this country was built upon is that of a racist one. From the use of slave labor to grow the economy, to the forced migration of native peoples in order to expand American capital, to mass deportations to promote American culture, time and time again, America has encouraged discriminatory practices in order to push the White supremacist agenda. While none of these practices would explicitly be allowed now, they have had inadvertent effects on minorities today. The promotion of racist ideology in this country is longstanding and it would be disingenuous to say that it is now a historical facet of our society, when, in reality, it is still very prevalent. From redlining to job discrimination to medical mistreatment, current societal practices used to “other” minorities and downplay their value has resulted in expansive health and wealth disparities. There is a substantial margin between life expectancy, educational opportunity, housing, and sanitation when comparing people of color to their White counterparts, and it’s only growing larger due to our stagnant economy in which there’s little room for growth and opportunity for one to escape their circumstances. While the roots of this problem run deep, I believe one way to improve the health of this country is through reparations.

Reparations can be defined as repayment in some form to marginalized communities in order to correct the wrongdoings of a discriminatory history that has set them back. In fact, research shows that monetary reparation payments have a positive outcome on health disparities between White and Black individuals. In a study conducted by the American Medical Association, it was found that differences in wealth are associated with the longevity gap that exists between Black and White individuals. By closing the mean wealth gap of $828,055 per household with reparations payments, the study showed that survival did not differ significantly by race; in fact, the reductions in the longevity gap increased massively from 65% to 102.5% (Himmelstein et al., 2022). A common argument when discussing monetary reparations is the idea that African-Americans are succumbing to a victim-mentality when asking for these repayments. In reality, they are advocating for equity. People love to oversimplify this complex issue by relating one’s success back to hard work. The notion that Black people do not work hard and how that is the reason why they are disadvantaged in society is a dangerous sentiment to promote. African-American individuals have to fight against race-based discrimination throughout their entire life. A study found that Black citizens are twice as likely to be unemployed than White citizens and two and a half times more likely to not get a job where they have the same or better qualifications in comparison to White citizens (Weller, 2019). Moreover, access to these opportunities is very slim for Black communities as legislation and prejudiced zoning keeps them from nutritious food, healthcare systems, and a quality education. As a result of this phenomenon, many Black communities have sourced other ways to make any sort of significant income. These things have become intertwined in the culture - not out of want, but necessity. The irony is that the very thing White people stereotype them as - such as “drug sellers” and “gangbangers”- is only their reality due to racial barriers they put in place, keeping them from a better life. Rather than let the actions of a few define a whole group, we need to recognize that Black people are more than how they make their money. By choosing not to see the whole picture and disregarding the historical context and implications of colonialism, we are feeding into the cycle of dehumanization when we see them as no more than one thing.

Apart from money, reparations can also be socio-cultural, such as dismantling stereotypes and a change in attitude towards certain groups of people. These types of reparations, while not a physical form of payback, still increase the health of people of color.

A great example of this is how debunking the “Model Minority Myth” imposed upon Asian-American communities can actually improve their mental health and reduce the stress they build up when trying to meet these standards. The Model Minority Myth suggests that Asians work hard and are successful despite racial discrimination; it is typically weaponized to pit Asians and Black Americans against each other when talking about the outcomes of historical racism. As a result of holding this ideology, Asian Americans are three times less likely than White people to seek mental help, yet, they are more likely to consider and attempt suicide (Yam, 2020). This stigma that surrounds Asian Americans imposes a great deal of pressure on them to not only  succeed, but not seek help either. This belief has resulted in the perception that Asian Americans are healthier than other minoritized communities and are significantly more intelligent than other communities. Due to the pressure to uphold these standards, many Asian people not only refuse to seek help, but when they do, their symptoms are dismissed because overexertion and stress are seen as “just a part of the culture.” This is the reality of many people across the nation, including our own campus. Jasmine Fan is a first-year at Duke and she says that she has definitely felt the pressures of this myth, explaining that,  “growing up Asian American, resulted in my family never talking about mental health. That, paired with the pressures of academic success and the standard I was held to since my parents were immigrants, breeded a reduced sense of self and increased anxiety and stress surrounding school. It was often difficult to seek help because my parents sacrificed so much to immigrate to here and I did not want to be an added burden.” It is evident through research and testimonies like Jasmine’s that this is a pervasive issue that is only growing in burden. Through a widespread dismantling of this myth, we can help improve the mental health of Asian Americans that are struggling and reduce the stress they are experiencing as a result of this fallacy.

When focusing on Native American communities, one of the biggest reparations our society can offer them is receptiveness to learn. Education is a driver for change, and by listening to Native American voices, un-whitewashing the history that paints them as the aggressors, and truly taking the time to understand their culture, we can aid in improving their health and overall well-being. A primary example of this is passing legislation to allow for Makah whaling practices. While that may seem unorthodox to people not immersed in the culture, 99% of their households rely on fishing, whaling, and hunting for a portion of their diet (International Whaling Commission, 2023). In addition to subsistence issues due to whaling prohibition, there has also been a rise in health disparities among the Makah and other Native populations that are associated with diet. Since the American government’s introduction of refined and processed food that has interrupted their use of fish and marine mammal oils, research has found a genetic link between their change in diet and the diet-related health issues facing Makahs currently. Reintroduction of whale products, particularly whale oil, presents an opportunity to improve health results because they have been demonstrated to have beneficial effects on cardiovascular and metabolic health (International Whaling Commission, 2023). All in all, whaling remains essential to Makah culture, identity, ceremonies, and subsistence and is - simply put - part of who the Makah are. Through exposure, we can have a greater understanding of their culture and not restrict them from the cultural practices that play a role in their overall health simply because they are not ours.

For communities such as non-white Hispanics in America who are adamantly against monetary reparations, it is important to find other ways to help them. One way this can be done is through the destigmatization of what it means to be successful and dismantling the idea of who deserves certain positions in society. Oftentimes, blue collar occupations are seen as lowly and the people that work there undeserving of respect. Hispanics accounted for 17 percent of total employment but were substantially overrepresented in several detailed occupational categories, including painters, construction and maintenance (53 percent), miscellaneous agricultural workers (51 percent), and maids and housekeeping cleaners (49 percent) (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018). Uncoincidentally enough, all of the aforementioned occupations are considered blue collar jobs. There is a clear association between health and discrimination in America. If we as a society continue to be prejudiced based on one’s race and the position they hold in the economy, there will be detrimental impacts on their health in turn.

The first step in improving health equity and decreasing social disparities, is changing our mindset to be more inclusive and accepting of people from different backgrounds. No matter how much money they make, how much schooling they have, or what color their skin may be. While the atrocities that America has committed against people of color can never be forgotten or amended by restitutions, reparations still need to be enforced to close the health and wealth gap between White Americans and minorities. It may be difficult in practice, but it is an undeniable necessity that needs to be enforced to improve the wellbeing of not only the country, but the people who comprise it.