evidence: In 2019, Milwaukee County became one of the nation’s first local governments to declare racism a public health crisis. Since then, more than 170 local governments across the country have followed suit, including the Wisconsin cities of Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay — as well as Dane County. [...] The initial declaration in Wisconsin that racism is a public health crisis came from outside the government: the nonprofit Wisconsin Public Health Association made that declaration in May 2018. Former Director-at-Large Lilliann Paine pushed that declaration through, which eventually made a path for both Milwaukee County and the city of Milwaukee to do the same in May and July 2019, respectively. [...] "Racism is so embedded into our systems and practices and policies here in the United States. That’s why we (say) crisis," said Kowalik, who worked with the WPHA and Milwaukee County to draft a city-wide resolution that declared racism as a public health crisis in July 2019.