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WE ALL DESERVE TO LIVE OUR HEALTHIEST LIFE POSSIBLE, NO MATTER WHO WE ARE OR HOW
MUCH MONEY WE HAVE.



This can be a reality in New Jersey.





YET THE NUMBERS IN OUR STATE TELL A STORY OF DEEP RACIAL INEQUITIES RELATED TO
WEALTH AND HEALTH THAT ARE ROOTED IN GENERATIONS OF STRUCTURAL RACISM.

$5,900 Black household median net worth
$309,369

White household
median net worth

$5,900

Black household
median net worth


17%

of Latinos report avoiding medical care due to fear of discrimination

3x

Black babies are three times more likely to die in first year than White babies


A POLICY AGENDA FOR A HEALTHIER, MORE EQUITABLE NEW JERSEY

is a report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that examines a long history
of discrimination and recommends ways we can overcome it together.


A DECK STACKED AGAINST
PEOPLE OF COLOR

A veteran of WWI, John Parrish worked full-time, plus extra jobs on the side,
but he still couldn’t afford to own his own home.

In Newark, N.J., in 1952, the odds were against working-class Black men like
Parrish, including discriminatory policies like redlining—in which mortgages
were intentionally denied to people of color.

Only by winning an underground game of chance—a neighborhood lottery called
“playing the numbers”—did Parrish beat the odds. And even then, he needed a
White man to stand in for him in dealings with the bank.



“He worked as hard as anybody, but in those times, if you were a Black family,
you kind of needed a miracle,” said Parrish’s great granddaughter, Maisha
Simmons, who serves as assistant vice president for equity and social justice at
the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “Lucky for us, he got one. And that home
gave my grandfather and father some stability that certainly contributed to
opportunities for my dad, and to his health. But a lot of people weren’t so
lucky.”

The barriers Parrish faced are examples of structural racism.


So, what’s the difference between structural racism and interpersonal racism?





A ROADMAP TO A MORE
EQUITABLE FUTURE

For New Jersey to be a place where everyone can achieve the healthiest life
possible, we must acknowledge structural racism as a root cause of inequity, and
address it. A Policy Agenda for a Healthier, More Equitable New Jersey envisions
a plan to
achieve this goal that is based on engaging and empowering communities—and using
that strength to advance several key priorities.


EMPOWER COMMUNITIES


WE MUST BUILD POWER IN COMMUNITIES AS THE FOUNDATION FOR REAL CHANGE

To break down structural racism, we must fundamentally change systems and
policies that create barriers to equity. The most effective way to change these
systems is to build power in the communities affected. That means involving
people, engaging people and giving people a sense of agency over the structures
that affect them. When communities take collective action, their power becomes
the engine that drives all other forms of change.



ENSURE AFFORDABLE HOUSING


WE MUST ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Differences in location should not dictate differences in quality of life.
Housing must be made more affordable in more places.

 * Invest in building more affordable housing
 * Promote racially-equitable land use and zoning
 * Leverage innovative strategies to facilitate racially-equitable home
   ownership
 * Fund right-to-counsel for low-income renters

Explore the numbers


WE MUST ADVANCE
BIRTH AND REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE

The lived experience of Black women in New Jersey’s maternal healthcare system
is dramatically different than that of White women. We must address this
directly.

 * Invest in a diverse workforce and bias training
 * Implement new Medicaid policy in a way that supports racial equity
 * Enhance access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion
 * Enforce existing paid leave benefit and increase use

ADVANCE BIRTH JUSTICE



WE MUST BUILD
PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE

Emerging threats like climate change, global pandemics and the impact of
systemic racism are best mitigated with investment before a full-blown crisis.

 * Provide maximum support to existing public health services
 * Establish a state public health institute
 * Transform public health data systems and sharing processes through an equity
   lens

IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH
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New Jersey’s ranking in state funding per capita for public health

In New Jersey, more than 400 years of intentional and de facto policy, practices
and norms excluded people of color from opportunities to thrive. Just as these
inequitable policies and practices were created and implemented by people, so
too can people fight to overturn them and put in place something better.


WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD A BETTER FUTURE.
ONE WHERE HEALTH IS A RIGHT FOR EVERYONE.

Spread the word

A Policy Agenda for a Healthier, More Equitable New Jersey

Our Home State: New Jersey
Sources

Unless otherwise noted, information came from RWJF’s “A Policy Agenda for a
Healthier, More Equitable New Jersey" report (May 2023)

 * “Life Expectancy: Could Where You Live Influence How Long You Live? ” RWJF
   (Source 2020, accessed April 2024)
 * “Highest and lowest incomes in every N.J. county, ranked” NJ.com (January
   2023)
 * “Want to buy a home in N.J.? Better make over $150K, new study says” NJ.com
   (April 2024)
 * “The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes” National Low Income Housing
   Coalition (Source 2022, accessed April 2024)

Created by
©2024 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. All rights reserved.