Beverly City Council Votes 9-0 to Back Racism Public Health Declaration

BEVERLY — July 14, 2020 — Beverly's City Council voted unanimously to support declaring racism an ongoing public health issue, joining a statewide and national movement. The 9-0 vote at the July 14 special remote meeting adopted a resolution co-sponsored by Ward 2 Councilor Estelle Rand and At-Large Councilor Julie Flowers, who credited community member and former council candidate Esther Ngoto as a central educator in the effort. The resolution does not itself make the formal declaration — that step belongs to Mayor Michael Cahill and the Department of Health, who are already drafting it with actionable steps — but commits the council to supporting a data-driven focus on social determinants of health including education, housing, employment, food access, and public safety. Community member Neil Levine of 36 Thorndike Street pledged to return in six months to ask the council what concrete progress had been made. Human Rights Committee Chair Leah Jones confirmed seed funding is in place for a city-wide anti-racism leadership training, the first concrete program named at the meeting.