09 Sep Health Equity: A Question Of How?

It’s no secret that there is a discrepancy between the level of health care that communities of color receive compared to that of their white counterparts, however, this reality raises more questions than just ‘why?’. How can we fill the gap? Where can our gente turn to for quality healthcare that at the same time makes them feel safe and welcome? How can our general community members get involved to ensure that their neighbors and loved ones are being taken care of by healthcare providers who genuinely care about their patients? 

The answers to these questions do not solely lie on the laps of elected officials. Like most things in life, it takes a village. It takes folks who care to take to the streets and advocate for the things they need in their communities. Access to grocery stores with fresh food, access to specialized medical professionals, accessible medical information in native languages, all these things and so much more come into play when our gente’s health is in question.  

Folks who live in urban areas, near highways, or in traditionally underfunded areas of cities are often times the same folks who do not have access to fresh food, or specialized medical professionals in their areas. 

These are our realities, but what can we do? Uplift the voices of the community who are directly impacted by health inequity, elected officials who actually grew up int eh areas they are representing so they can act on the things they personally know are missing in their communities. When we get folks into power, we must hold them accountable. 

Health equity is a complex topic that directly impacts people of color. The solutions cannot come without the community’s involvement.