; Whereas racism is linked to mental health challenges for children and adolescents; Whereas children of color are overrepresented in the United States child welfare system, and up to 80 percent of children in foster care enter State custody with significant mental health challenges; Whereas disparities in educational access and attainment, along with racism experienced in the educational setting, affect the trajectory of academic achievement for children and adolescents, and ultimately impact health and racial inequities in school discipline, which has long-term consequences for children; Whereas racism and segregation in the United States contribute to poor health outcomes by segregating Black, Latino, and Native-American communities from opportunity; Whereas, for decades, discriminatory housing practices, such as redlining, systemically excluded people of color from housing, robbing them of capital in the form of low-cost, stable mortgages and opportunities to build wealth, and the Federal Government used its financial power to segregate renters in newly built public housing; Whereas environmental injustices, such as proximity and exposure to toxic waste or hazardous air pollutants, continue to harm the health of communities of color, low-income communities, and indigenous communities around the Nation; Whereas social inequities such as differing access to quality health care, healthy food and safe drinking water, safe neighborhoods, education, job security, and reliable transportation affect health risks and outcomes; Whereas during the COVID–19 pandemic, the effects of racism and discrimination are seen in COVID–19 infection, hospitalization, and mortality rates—disproportionately high among Black, Latino, and Native-American populations compared to the overall population—exacerbating health disparities and highlighting barriers to care for Black, Latino, and Native American patients across the United States