by Benjamin Zeisloft
The University of Minnesota is mobilizing a $5 million donation to launch an antiracist health center.
According to a February 24 announcement from the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health, the “Center for Antiracism Research for Health Equity” is dedicated to “addressing and uprooting structural racism’s impact on health and healthcare.”
The center will “develop education and training on structural racism and health inequities,” “foster authentic community engagement to address the root causes of racial health inequities and drive action,” “change the narrative about race and racism to one that does not hold up whiteness as the ideal standard for human beings,” and “serve as a trusted resource on issues related to racism and health equity.”
The center also intends to become a leader in “antiracist health research.”
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is financing the initiative through a $5 million gift — the largest ever received by the School of Public Health, as noted by the announcement.
“In order to transform our state, inspire change and improve health, we can’t just say the right things — we must do the right things,” said Blue Cross and Blue Shield CEO Craig Samitt in the announcement. “We believe that Blue Cross’ investment in the creation of the Center for Antiracism Research for Health Equity will serve as a catalyst to advance health equity and dismantle racism from the structure and fabric of our society.”
Over the past year, several leading universities across the United States began opening multimillion-dollar “antiracist” research centers.
As Campus Reform recently reported, Drexel University used a $9 million donation to advance “anti-racist public health research and scholarship” through the lens of “contemporary theoretical frameworks and rigorous, innovative methods.”
Weeks earlier, the University of Oregon spent $11 million — which was sourced from university revenues and a private gift — to launch a “new research and policy center on racial disparities and resilience.”
Campus Reform reached out to the University of Minnesota, as well as Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
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Benjamin Zeisloft is a Pennsylvania Senior Campus Correspondent, reporting on liberal bias and abuse for Campus Reform. He is studying Finance and Marketing at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Benjamin also writes for The UPenn Statesman and the Wharton International Business Review.
