 |
 |
 |
The Health Equity Action Team addresses challenges and problems created from racism and poverty.
A racial disparity in health is when people of color have a much higher risk of suffering from disease or death than white
people do. Racial disparities exist in most all diseases throughout the United States - from diabetes to HIV / AIDS to
infant mortality. The causes of health disparities are much larger than health and health care. Unemployment, racism, and
lack of access to quality education, for example, all contribute to a difference in the ability for all members of our
communities to gain equal access to a healthy life.
Focus areas of this team include:
- The link between neighborhood characteristics & health disparities and a health advisory body that works with the City-County Planning Board to ensure that development in minority neighborhoods positively impacts the health of residents.
- Empowering minority population through voters’ registration drives that impact voter turn out and future public policies.
- A living minimum wage policy to raise income and improve overall health and economic development in minority neighborhoods in our community. This initiative is in partnership with CHANGE, Communities Helping All Neighbors Gain Empowerment. As its first step, the team has encouraged the City of Winston-Salem to set a minimum wage of $9.00 per hour for all its employees.
- The Team is also actively involved in an effort to address Disproportionate Minority Contacts in the Justice System - the fact that youth of color are much more likely to be involved as offenders and as victims than white youth are.
The Health Equity Action Team meets every other month in the late afternoon/evening. Get involved and contact us for more information about this team.