Editor’s note: Students at SUNY Upstate Medical University are learning more than how to be doctors, researchers and public health experts. They also are acquiring skills to advocate for their patients, communities and profession. Several students recently submitted letters to the editor addressing topics of concern to the Syracuse community.
Interstate 81 was built in 1967, cutting through Syracuse’s 15th Ward. This displaced families who were given no meaningful options for relocation. Now, as the highway reaches the end of its lifespan, the same communities are once again at risk of being overlooked and pushed aside.
A federal grant of $30 million was originally approved to support revitalization of the area and reduce the burden the construction would place on these neighborhoods. The Trump administration ended this funding because it promoted “equity” and “access.” These are not political buzzwords but instead basic public health principles. Ignoring them harms Syracuse…