Under The Skin By Kenya Villarosa Summary

“There are more than eighteen thousand “excess deaths” each year among blacks because of heart disease, and stroke, compared with the number of deaths that would occur if their health was on par with that of whites” (Villarosa 4). Under The Skin, a book published by Linda Villarosa, is primarily concerned with exposing the truth about the American healthcare system as it involves the treatment of black Americans. Villarosa is the author of several books, as well as several contributions of pieces on health to Science Time. She also discusses the racial inequality in the healthcare system in the United States, which has impacted many black people. The book goes over the essentials of how many black people face discrimination because of their

In the context of healthcare, it takes the form of biases in treatment based on a person's race or ethnicity, unequal access to medical resources, and disparities in the quality of care. Villarosa illustrates the healthcare gap that black people have limited access to. She does that through personal narrative, statistics, and historical context. This quotation demonstrates the anguish of placing one’s trust in someone, only to be let down due to an inability to comprehend the situation at the time, “But she trusted her daughters in the hands of staff at this clinic” (Villarosa 2). A further text illustrating the racial divide, “Too often this story of inequality and discrimination in health gets dismissed as “only” affecting the poor or being one of class, not race” (Villarosa 2). Over the years, there has been an assumption that black people’s poverty and lack of education are to blame for their illnesses. “Though there was no evidence that any of the girls were sexually active,... Because of their race and class” (Villarosa 28), a story that was mentioned in the book that was told by parents, how the government thought that they engage in sexual activity to

The systemic inequalities and discrimination faced by black people have repercussions on the national stage. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the global community recognizes the urgency of addressing racial injustices. Movements advocating for racial equality, such as Black Lives Matter, reverberate globally, sparking conversations and inspiring action against systemic racism in various countries. The impact of racism has made people think that white/black are different humans. For example, in this quote that supports the following text. “Black people could bear surgical operations much more than white people” (Villarosa 30). The indifferentness that the world has out to believe that people of color feel disrespected.” It didn’t stop with just physical pain because, as the false ideas went, black people didn’t feel emotional pain as intensely as whites” (Villarosa