Wednesday, April 10, 2024
National Public Health Week is a time each year to celebrate the essential services
of public health professionals who work tirelessly to promote their communities鈥� health,
safety and wellbeing. National Public Health Week is held each April, sponsored by
the .
Students, faculty and staff of the at The at Fort Worth celebrated during the week of April 1-7, with a number of events focused on underserved communities, in alignment with APHA鈥檚 2024 theme of 鈥淧rotecting, Connecting and Thriving: We are all Public Health.鈥�
The events, coordinated by HSC鈥檚 Public Health Student Government Association, also fit with the new SPH strategic plan, .
鈥淥ur research and professional services initiatives, as defined in our strategic plan, are designed to be both responsive and relevant to the needs of communities,鈥� said Dr. Shafik Dharamsi, SPH dean.
鈥淥ur commitment to community extends to our partnerships. We seek out, honor and apply
community knowledge and expertise in advancing health equity and innovation. Together,
we strive to create impactful solutions that leave no one behind.鈥�
student and PHSGA president Folasade Fashina led this year鈥檚 planning and activities for the week. Fashina said that this year鈥檚 theme and the new SPH strategic plan are both in step with her personal mission and future career goals.
Civic Engagement
A civic engagement workshop that looked beyond the ballot box was one of the week鈥檚 events, discussing the history of democracy, presenting a timeline of key points in modern American democracy, sharing other voting models that could be employed, and looking at direct action and mutual aid. Resources on voter registration, reproductive health and other educational materials were also part of the program.
Community Building and Care
To further highlight the week鈥檚 theme, Fashina created material on utilizing community building and community care as protective and influencing factors for community health.
Climate Change, Indigenous Sustainability
鈥淐limate Change: Indigenous Sustainability Talk鈥� was another HSC Public Health Week event. Alaskan Yup鈥檌k and Samoan youth climate activist spoke on the importance and value of centering indigenous perspectives in climate action and sustainability work. She also discussed the impact of climate change on indigenous communities.
Ropati, a 22-year-old education and environmental activist, was named as a Champion for Change by the Center for Native American Youth and has been nationally recognized for her advocacy efforts. She is the recipient of the 2023 World Wildlife Fund Conservation Leadership Award.
Complex Needs: Care and Innovations
Care for individuals with complex needs was also discussed during Public Health Week, with a presentation on new tools and innovations by Rebecca Koppel from . This community-based nonprofit organization works to improve care for people with complex health and social needs in New Jersey and around the U.S. Koppel was joined by a patient with complex care needs, who shared her personal experiences and perspectives.
Reproductive and Sexual Health in Underserved Communities
In another of the week鈥檚 events, panelists from the Fort Worth AIDS Outreach Center, Texas Equal Access Fund and Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas discussed reproductive and sexual health care in Texas and among underserved communities.
Disability and Emergency Preparedness
The week also included a talk on disability and emergency preparedness by medical sociologist of the University of Georgia.
We are the Future
The final day of HSC鈥檚 Public Health Week focused on the future of public health, with a social media campaign 鈥� #WeAreTheFutureofPublicHealth 鈥� that provided an opportunity for SPH students to share their public health goals, motivations and aspirations.
All activities and events helped to reinforce the American Public Health Association鈥檚 message that public health promotes and protects the health of all people and their communities, and that together, 鈥渁ll of us are helping to create the healthiest nation.鈥�
From - Our People by Sally Crocker