When summer temperatures climb past triple digits, every- one feels it—but not everyone faces the same risks. For Black Houstonians, extreme heat is layered on top of an already unequal health landscape, turning a climate problem into a life-and-death public health crisis nation-wide African Americans are 40% more likely blood pressure and to have high blood pressure and 60% more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than White Americans, according to the CDC. In Texas, these gaps are even wider, with state health data showing Black adults experiencing higher rates of obesity, stroke, and chronic kidney disease. These conditions limit the body’s ability to regulate temperature and make people more vulnerable to heat-related complications.

Research from the National Institutes of Health has

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