The Spark Weekly | June 7 | New Celiac Clinic in Pa. + The Impact Race Has On Infrastructure

Dr. Kofi Clarke, Chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, joins The Spark to discuss celiac disease and a new clinic designed to provide comprehensive care for patients throughout the region.

In White Care: The Impact of Race on American Infrastructure, Prof. Cotten Seiler argues that the decline of U.S. infrastructure isn’t just about cost—it’s about race. He explores how, beginning in the mid-20th century, many white Americans withdrew support from public systems once their benefits expanded to include Black and Brown communities. From schools and public parks to transportation and healthcare, Seiler connects disinvestment and “white flight” to the deterioration of shared resources nationwide, including in Pennsylvania cities. This conversation reframes infrastructure as a reflection of who society chooses to care for—and who it doesn’t.