We're about to get started! Join us now or follow along here for a few live tweets https://twitter.com/gwhealthlaw/status/1362039346380103680

We're getting started by watching this video together: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=cmMutvgQIcU&feature=mweb_c3_open_app&itc_campaign=mweb_c3_open_app&redirect_app_store_ios=1

. @DanielEDawes: what is a political determinant of health? For every #SDOH there was a previous policy, legislative, regulatory choice that led to that #SDOH

. @DanielEDawes: The inequities we're seeing with #COVID19 did not suddenly appear. They are deeply rooted in our nation's history

. @DanielEDawes: who has access to the internet, to water, to food are politically determined, and all of these things impact health

@DanielEDawes: Imagine what could and should be. The roots of the tree of health rep the political determinants of health. If the tree is rooted in #healthequity, then the society is nourished and capable of reaching its highest potential

How did we get here? We must look at policy, reaching all the way back to slavery, through Jim Crow, segregation, redlining. Not just fed gov policies, but policy decisions by private banks.

@DanielEDawes: The effects of redlining and segregation are still with us--higher payments for auto insurance, mortgages, displacement from climate change, and more

. @DanielEDawes now talking about attempts by #healthequity leaders to move equity forward throughout history, including attempts to include medical care in the Freedmen's Bureau Act

. @DanielEDawes giving us 5 things we can do to elevate #healthequity: 1) engage in tough convos and advocate for a full commitment to tackling health inequities upstream in all areas

2) work upstream to address the social and political determinants of health inequities; 3) research the history of our communities and address past policies & programs at all levels that created/perpetuated inequities,

4) strengthen our networks of engagement; and 5) understand that #healthequity begins and ends with the political determinants of health

"We need leaders who care enough, know enough, have the courage to do enough, and who will persevere until the job is done." ~ @DanielEDawes, quoting Dr. David Satcher ( @SatcherHealth)

Q&A time! First question: how can health care professionals lean into intervention points and work with peers in law & policy?

Answer: this work must be transdisciplinary! Health care professionals can bring evidence to bear to inform the laws & policies being debated & discussed

If there is no data, then policy makers will say, "there is no problem" @DanielEDawes & colleagues developed comprehensive #healthequity tracker, for #covid19 & other inequities, including #behavioralhealth

Next question: how do you overcome the understandable distrust in authority/government in many communities?

Answer: a lot of us are not involved/engaged in the political process. Important to work with grassroots and grasstops leaders to make it clear what's at stake, to vote, and also go beyond voting to hold our govt accountable

Question: what can corporate/biz community, do to be part of the solution for #healthequity

Answer: put their money and their expertise behind the movement for #healthequity

Question: what's an ideal #healthequity response to pandemics & other crises?

A: equitable access to testing, contact tracing, vaccines, treatments, etc. But long term: we shouldn't go "back to normal." That's just returning to racist systems. Need to build a national strategy for #healthequity that is comprehensive & centers #equity across agencies

And that's a wrap! Thank you so much to @DanielEDawes for joining us this evening & inspiring all of us to "care enough, know enough, have the courage to do enough, and...persevere until the job is done." #HealthEquity