Community Activism: How You Can Help

By: Travis Howlette B.S., Jeff Wisniowski B.S., MPH and Kelsey Anilionis B.S.

Health Equality Peer Educator Training (HEPE)

SPONSORS

Student Speaker

Kelsey Anilionis, Health Science Major (2011), Northeastern University, Pre-PA

Jeff Wisniowski B.S./MPH Candidate

Travis Howlette B.S. Health Science 2011

Aim and Purpose of this Lecture Series

Take aways for this lecture

Introduction

Putting together the pieces of the other lectures

Why is this important now? High priority Affordable Care Act Budget:

Health disparities Education

Terminology

Advocacy: active support of an idea or cause

Lobbyist: a form of advocacy with the intention of influencing legislators

Legislators: any officials elected by members of your community

Show of hands…Who has… Talked with an elected official, whether a city council member, member of

your school board, legislator?          Written a letter to an elected official?          Picketed or demonstrated?          Written a letter to the editor?          Talked to a reporter?          Attended or testified at a public hearing?          Participated in a community forum about an issue in the community?          Voted?          Told a story about something that’s happened that you think should be

changed or done differently (at your school, etc)?          Participated in a committee that’s trying to change systems or policies (youth

group, organization or club)

Developed by the Detroit Community-Academic Urban Research Center http://detroiturc.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18#16

Community Activism/Advocacy

Advance planning What do you want to achieve? Who has the power to make those

outcomes happen? How will you make this change? When will each step of your

advocacy plan take place? Activism can be many things!

Volunteering Raising awareness Policy Change

Health Policy

“Health policy refers to decisions, plans, and actions that are undertaken to achieve specific health care goals within a society.”

Policy model:

Kingdon 3 Stream Model

Source: World Health Organization http://www.who.int/topics/health_policy/en/

Things to think about Raise awareness

Develop a strategy

Support ongoing efforts

What is your community doing?

Boston, MA CriticalMASS

Seeks to build a statewide, multicultural network to advance the elimination of racial & ethnic health disparities, develop a clearinghouse for current research and practice initiatives related to the reduction of health disparities, create a statewide, strategic planning process for the reduction of health disparities.

CCHERS integrate education, service, and research to

eliminate persistent disparities in health of racial and ethnic minorities by ensuring health access, equity, and justice

HEALTH DISPARITIES STUDENT COLLABORATIVE (HDSC) Student group under CCHERS/Critical

MASS Partnership with non-profits Mission: The Health Disparities Student

Collaborative is a collaboration of students and community members who believe that together we can achieve health equity through education, advocacy and service.

Examples of Education: Guest lecturers for student body

meetings This training for the CBPHC YC, and

other students FL, MI, CA, CT, NY, MA, WA

HDSC CONTINUED…

Examples of Advocacy:State house lobbyingPartnership with

Disparities Action Network and Health Care for All

Examples of Service: Mentoring program at

EMKHorizons for the Homeless Internship/Volunteer

Placements

YOU AND HDSC

HDSC is a group framework model Feel free to start one in

your school and we can provide help

Join us on facebook: www.facebook.com/hdscneu

Email us: healthdisparitiesstudentco@gmail.com

What is your community doing?

Flint, MI YOUR Center

Guest Speaker: Terrance Campbell

Chat time!

We want to hear what you have done in your community!

Feel free to use the chat box on the right side of the screen

Determine who you need to influence

Who is interested in your issue, and who has the power to do something about it?

State senators/representatives, city council

Go to your state’s government website Most likely “the name of your state .gov”

Developed by CriticalMASS; available in toolkit: Taking Community Action on Health Disparities

Figure out what persuades them

Convince them it is both in the community’s and their best interest to put your solution into practice

Votes

Convince the community that your issue is their issue too

Need full community support

The legislator is looking for votes!

Use the media!

Community presentation- invite local newspaper or television station to cover it

Send a “press release” to the local media

Find reporters interested in your topic

Control your message

Keep your focus so your message is clear

Positivity! Advance your cause and lead people to join you

Make your legislators your allies

Voting is power

Compelling cause and votes to back it up

Be patient! There are a lot of issues and people determined

to make a difference

Policy Change Strategies Circulate a petition Organize a demonstration Conduct visits with public officials Generate letters of support Create a mass media campaign Mobilize residents to speak at a public hearing Organize a town hall meeting Identify, support, and elect local community

members to public office

Developed by the Detroit Community-Academic Urban Research Center http://detroiturc.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18#16

Activity!

I am a legislator I need a volunteer

You are coming into my office with a small interest group

Try to convince me that legislation should be passed requiring kids in public schools to have physical activity everyday

Wrap up

You now have the tools to make a difference! We encourage you to find organizations and

initiatives that support the same cause you do Google search “(insert city/town) community

coalitions” Use this network via HDSC’s facebook

Questions/Comments?

Thank you!