In light of Minority Health Month in April, it is important to reflect on some of the major challenges for underrepresented communities in the health care field. Not only is there a lack of proper support for minority groups to access health care, but there is also a lack of representation for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color) among providers and leaders in health care careers. The discrimination that causes this doesn’t just start with the health care employment process; it begins well before. Disparities in the education system limit opportunities for minority groups, such as Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NH/PI), to succeed in the health care field.
As Surge Reproductive Justice’s Our Words Build Power organizer, Mora-Cheung and her colleagues are cultivating activism through community and enjoyment with Just Speak, a quarterly BIPOC-centered reproductive-justice storytelling series that pairs activism with performance. “We think that’s super important, because our communities oftentimes don’t get to center joy and having fun and eating good food and just having that connection time,” she said.
Attacks on our right to protest have escalated to new heights, as the justice system is being wielded in unparalleled ways in the war against free speech. On Monday, April 15, the Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal in the case of Mckesson v. Doe, a lower court decision that gravely jeopardizes the right to protest in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Under this decision, “a protest organizer faces potentially ruinous financial consequences if a single attendee at a mass protest commits an illegal act.”
In January 2022, Washington State acknowledged the critical role of arts education by passing Senate Bill 5878. Championed by Sen. Christine Rolfes and later modified through bipartisan efforts, the bill mandates regular arts instruction across schools starting in the 2023–24 school year. However, it falls short in one critical aspect: the provision of dedicated funding for its implementation. As the bill’s target school year comes to a close, it’s clear many schools continue to face stretched budgets and have not only struggled to integrate arts education but are also having to cut existing programs. However, instead of viewing the implementation of SB 5878 as unattainable, we should advocate for the funding to support it. In addition to enriching our community and creating secure job opportunities, strengthening arts education can profoundly transform our students’ health.
When you entertain at home, who are the folks congregating in your kitchen (as they always seem to do)? It’s a question I routinely pose during my inclusive leadership training sessions.
For six years, birth workers in Washington State have been fighting to make Medicaid coverage for doula support a reality. And in March, they secured a major victory when the Legislature signed off on a reimbursement rate for doulas that will be the nation’s highest. With a push from Sen. T’wina Nobles (D-28), lawmakers also approved a $100,000 budget allocation to create a “doula hub” that will help doulas work within Medicaid’s billing system and provide referrals for families on Medicaid.
In the rich tapestry of life, there are those rare individuals whose presence is a gift, whose legacy is a beacon of hope. Matt Chan was one such person. He was known to many as a visionary executive producer, but Matt’s true essence was captured in his unwavering commitment to the Asian American community and his profound influence as a mentor and storyteller.
