“Why Public Health MUST Stay Professional — Especially for Black Communities”

A new administration brings new priorities. But one thing cannot change: protecting the public from health threats must remain in the hands of trained professionals — not politics.

What Public Health Really Means

Public health isn’t politics — it’s:

• Disease prevention

• Emergency response

• Clean water & food safety

• Maternal & infant health

• Community wellnessThese systems keep all of us safe — especially communities that have historically been marginalized.

Why Black Communities Are Most Impacted

Black Floridians and Black Americans face:

• Higher rates of chronic illness

• Higher maternal mortality

• Lower access to preventive care

• Greater exposure to environmental hazardsWeakening public health infrastructure hits us first, and hardest.

Why Professional Expertise Matters

Doctors, epidemiologists, nurses, researchers, and public health experts are trained to:

• Identify threats early

• Prevent outbreaks

• Reduce disparities

• Protect vulnerable communitiesReplacing expertise with political influence risks lives — especially Black lives.

The Danger of Politicizing Public Health

When public health decisions are politicized, we see:

• Misinformation spreading faster than facts

• Suppression of data

• Delayed responses to outbreaks

• Policies that ignore racial disparitiesWe lived this during COVID-19. We cannot repeat it.

What’s at Stake for Black Communities

If public health becomes partisan rather than professional:

• Black maternal health outcomes worsen

• Preventable diseases rise in Black neighborhoods

• Funding shifts away from community clinics

• Environmental racism goes unaddressed

• Life expectancy gaps grow even widerThis isn’t hypothetical — it’s a real risk.

Public Health Saves Black Lives When It’s Done Right

When public health is protected and led by experts, we see:

• Lower infant mortality

• Safer housing & water systems

• Better chronic disease management

• Strong vaccination & prevention programs

• Health equity initiatives grounded in dataThese gains only happen when science — not ideology — leads.

What We Need From Any Administration

Black communities need the federal government to:

• Protect professional public health leadership

• Fund community-based health initiatives

• Collect and report race-based data

• Support Black maternal health programs

• Strengthen environmental and workplace protectionsThis is not political — it’s survival.

What Black Floridians Can Do

• Stay informed about changes to federal health policy

• Support organizations fighting for health equity

• Speak up to elected officials about local health needs

• Demand transparency, data, and accountability

• Vote for leaders who prioritize community well-being

Public health should serve everybody — but it cannot do that if it stops being professional, scientific, and rooted in equity.