Beyond the racialized food desert described elsewhere in this website, other forms of structural or systemic racism continue to leave traces in Bellingham.

One example of this can be seen in the domain of public health. In 2020, the Whatcom County Council, acting as the Health Board, passed a resolution affirming that racism constitutes a public health crisis in Whatcom County, joining other cities and counties across the state and the nation with this resolution and committing to take steps toward racial equity. (See the press release.)

In response to similar concerns, the Chuckanut Health Foundation also created a Racial Equity Commission to promote systemic change that leads to a more equitable and just community.