内容摘要：Matt Metzger, a Marine Corps combat veteran, harvests and places Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms into a dehydrator to prepare for microdosing Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Olympia, Wash. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Matt Metzger, a Marine Corps combat veteran, harvests and places Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms into a dehydrator to prepare for microdosing Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Olympia, Wash. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

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?”

Putting money toward racism-as-a-public-health-crisis declarations is an important way for governments to show they’re committed to implementing the steps, Mendez said. But money was a rarity in her review of 125 declarations that had been adopted by the end of September 2020.“It actually is also going to take some financial will and some real investments to create the types of layered strategies that can move the needle on well-being outcomes,” said Guthrie with the Government Alliance on Race and Equity, which works with governments on racial equity in about 20 states. “That doesn’t happen overnight.”The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offered millions of dollars in federal grants in

for state and local health departments to address racial disparities and develop the workforce.Sacramento County, California, received $7 million and has used it to to pay various consultants to create an action plan for its health department and to train the staff on implicit bias and racial equity.

The county, which passed its declaration in November 2020, has significant Latino, Asian and Black populations, each with varying

. 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.Nnadi said his work with animal shelters began when he adopted his first dog, Rocky.

“He was a very timid dog. A lot of things I was not really fond of how his living arrangements was were. He wasn’t around that many people with dark lighting and everything,” Nnadi said. “It’s just made me really kind of empathize how kind of a lot of dogs go through it and their life trying to survive.”He said he helped Rocky build confidence to become the “happy-go-lucky dog” he is today.

“I feel like everybody needs at least one furry friend in their life,” Nnadi said.Mollentine said her organization, which has a shelter in Kansas City, Kansas, is grateful for Nnadi’s help prompting adoptions. The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City has been in operation since 1912.