What can cities do to correct racism and help all communities live longer? It starts with city planning

  The average life expectancy in the U.S. is 76.1 years. But this range varies widely – a child raised in wealthy San Mateo County, California, can expect to live nearly 85 years. A child raised in Fort Worth, Texas, could expect to live about 66.7 years.

  Race, poverty, as well as related issues like the ability to find nearby grocery stores and easily visit clean parks, all influence health.

  This means that a person’s ZIP code is often a better predictor of their life expectancy than their genetic code.

Black women endure legacy of racism in homeownership and making costly repairs

  Yolanda, 61, owns a home in the predominantly Black 7th Ward neighborhood in New Orleans.

  To fix her leaking roof in 2020, she had to borrow money.

  “It’s one of them credit card loans,” she said. “Like interest of 30% and all that, you know. I was kind of backed up against the wall, so I just went on and made the loan, a high-interest loan.”