We're starting this page as the Western MA Health Equity Network, as our first stepping stone from our October 2nd Summit.
Operating as usual
Denver successfully sent mental health professionals, not police, to hundreds of calls
The STAR program was able to respond to 748 calls in 6 months. No calls required the assistance of police, and no one was arrested.
Opinion | 60 Black Health Experts Urge Black Americans to Get Vaccinated
Disinformation has pervaded social media and is an assault on our people.
Massachusetts bill would create mobile vaccination units, multilingual campaign
Sens. Sonia Chang-Diaz and Becca Rausch filed a bill Thursday in the Senate. Reps. Liz Miranda and Mindy Domb filed it in the House.
The Economist Placing Value on Black Women’s Overlooked Work
Tracing community activism back a hundred years, Nina Banks says this labor by Black women should be counted as part of the economy.
Massachusetts Public Health Association
Today the Vaccine Scheduling Resource Line for 75+ residents went live! The call center will be a key option for older residents who do not have Internet. Call 2-1-1 to access. #COVID19MA #vaccinecovid19 #healthequity #mapoli
Where are all the Native American medical students? - The Boston Globe
One of two Indigenous students in his Harvard Medical School class reflects on the lack of representation of Native peoples in medicine and why it matters.
Opinion | What Canceling Student Debt Would Do for the Racial Wealth Gap
A solution to the debt crisis would help all borrowers. But it could also begin to address a history of discriminatory policies affecting Black graduates.
FRCOG hopes to address priority health issues with Community Health Improvement Plan - Greenfield Recorder
The Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG) will continue work on the Franklin County and North Quabbin region’s Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) in early February, looking at ways to make a difference on priority health issues, including decreasing rates of youth substance abuse,...
Phase 2 of COVID-19 vaccine rollout begins Monday
Cooperation is going to be key when it comes to getting the COVID-19 vaccine into the arms of people across Franklin County, local health officials say.Starting Monday, Phase 2 of the governor’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout will begin. People 75 years old...
UMass Amherst AfroAm
Student Demands for an Anti-Racist UMass
* In Struggle SASA *
Demands for Action Against Racism
1. Implement emergency floor meeting guidelines following an act of hate or bias.
2. Implement new procedure for an immediate email response from DoSO following an act of hate or bias.
3. Implement emergency community forum guidelines following an act of hate or bias.
4. Update the content and format of the “Fight Hate” website.
5. Establish a Racial Justice Hearing Board.
Demands for Academic Equity
1. Increase funding for academic resources for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) students.
2. Increase funding for and recruitment of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) students in all undergraduate and graduate departments.
3. Increase hiring of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) faculty, staff, Peer Advisors, and Teaching Assistants across all academic departments.
4. Grant tenure for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), women and/or LGBTQ+ faculty at the same rate as white colleagues across all academic departments.
5. Commit to freezing tuition and fees while gradually pursuing a debt-free model.
Demands for Preventing Racism
Implement a new Social Justice (SJ) general education requirement for all undergraduates.
2. Implement Anti-Racist Training for all students, faculty, and staff.
3. Implement the Du Bois Legacy Project.
Demands for Healing Amidst Racism
1. Improve health services by expanding their accessibility and increasing the hiring of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) counselors, crisis center staff, and healthcare staff.
2. Ensure the safety and accessibility of all Center for Multicultural Advancement and Student Success (CMASS) centers.
3. Empower student voices within the Center for Multicultural Advancement and Student Success (CMASS).
4. Administer annual internal assessment of the cultural centers and the Stonewall Center and reconfigure operations accordingly.
Demands for Divesting from the UMass Police Department (UMPD)
1. Invest in new and existing public safety resources at UMass.
2. Disarm UMPD.
3. Defund UMPD safely and systematically.
4. Remove UMPD presence from all residential areas.
5. Increase transparency by releasing complaint and Field Investigative Observation (FIO) forms and establishing a Police Oversight Task Force.
6. Release UMPD’s budgetary allocation information annually.
MotherWoman
The relationship between poverty and health is complex, but two of the biggest components are environment and the stress of poverty. Cyclically, poverty leads to poor health and poor health leads to poverty.
#PovertyInAmericaAwarenessMonth
Join us: wochec.org
Learn more: https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2016/01/401251/poor-health-when-poverty-becomes-disease
22 studies agree: 'Medicare for All' saves money
Whether you call it single-payer or "Medicare for All," it isn’t some socialist pipe dream. It’s a sensible, efficient and effective way to guarantee excellent health insurance to everyone.
Biden signs memorandum to combat bias incidents toward Asian Americans
It issues guidance on how to better collect data and assist with the reporting of anti-Asian hate incidents.
Need More Franklin County youth applicants! Please share!
The Summit Planning committee is forming the Western MA Health Equity Youth Council. Youth members will be engaging in dialogue facilitated by a cohort of UMass graduate and undergraduate students about race, health, and equity as a part of a larger project to make youth voices visible in the discus...
SisterSong
We are excited to announce our Reproductive Justice for Black Lives Grant! This grant is open to Black women and trans led orgs working for Reproductive Justice and other social justice movements. The application closes Februrary 8th.
To learn more or apply: bit.ly/RJforBlackLives
Barcelos ‘16PhD Publishes Book on the Racialized Politics of Youth Sexual Health | School of Public Health & Health Sciences
Health Promotion and Policy alumni Chris A. Barcelos ‘16PhD recently authored Distributing Condoms and Hope: The Racialized Politics of Youth Sexual Health, a new book published by the University of California Press.
Black Americans Are Getting Vaccinated at Lower Rates Than White Americans
Black Americans are receiving covid vaccines at a much lower rate than their white peers due to a combination of mistrust and access issues, leaving them behind in the mission to vaccinate the nati…
Vilcek-Gold Award for Humanism in Healthcare
Open Call for Nominations - January 24, 2021
West Springfield Mayor William Reichelt declares racism a ‘health crisis;’ plans equity committee
Systemic racism is an “emergency and public health crisis” demanding the attention of all government departments and a series of public forums, according to Mayor William Reichelt.
Seeking Filmmaker for Race and Health Equity Project Bridge the Gap: Addressing Race and Health Equity Through an Intergenerational Lens
The Western MA Health Equity Network is now accepting submissions from filmmakers/videographers from Western Massachusetts to create a film to premiere Fall 2021 at the (fully or partially virtual) Western MA Health Equity Summit. The Summit planning committee is looking for someone with experience in project planning, implementation, directing and editing films. The person chosen will be interested and skilled at working with an advisory committee.
Our volunteer committee is made up of individuals, people representing organizations, young and old and is diverse and representative of western MA cities and towns. Our committee plans to involve our community members in responding to specific questions, gather personal stories, and hear from individuals and groups about their experiences with racism as a public health crisis, racial justice and the future--among all generations.
GOALS:
Bring western MA community members together, discuss racism and its role in health inequities, showcase Western MA social and health justice art, encourage conversations among different generations, identify common issues among young and old, and show the connections between community issues like immigration, employment, food security, disability justice, as examples. Inspire collective action to increase health equity and racial justice.
SCOPE AND COMPENSATION
The exact format and design of the project will be worked out and decided on by the filmmaker/videographer and the advisory committee, and it may be decided that all or part of the project will be conducted virtually through Zoom interviews. Once the scope of the project is more developed, the filmmaker and director will negotiate the budget. Filmmakers are encouraged to discuss their rates in their cover letter.
TIMEFRAME:
• Applications due February 3rd, 2021.
• Review and interviews will take place in February & decision made by March 2021.
• Project will take place March-September 20201 (Dates may be extended)
• Final project will premiere in Fall 2021
Please share! Seeking Filmmaker for Race and Health Equity Project Bridge the Gap: Addressing Race and Health Equity Through an Intergenerational Lens
The Western MA Health Equity Network is now accepting submissions from filmmakers/videographers from Western Massachusetts to create a film to premiere Fall 2021 at the (fully or partially virtual) Western MA Health Equity Summit. The Summit planning committee is looking for someone with experience in project planning, implementation, directing and editing films. The person chosen will be interested and skilled at working with an advisory committee.
Our volunteer committee is made up of individuals, people representing organizations, young and old and is diverse and representative of western MA cities and towns. Our committee plans to involve our community members in responding to specific questions, gather personal stories, and hear from individuals and groups about their experiences with racism as a public health crisis, racial justice and the future--among all generations.
GOALS:
Bring western MA community members together, discuss racism and its role in health inequities, showcase Western MA social and health justice art, encourage conversations among different generations, identify common issues among young and old, and show the connections between community issues like immigration, employment, food security, disability justice, as examples. Inspire collective action to increase health equity and racial justice.
SCOPE AND COMPENSATION
The exact format and design of the project will be worked out and decided on by the filmmaker/videographer and the advisory committee, and it may be decided that all or part of the project will be conducted virtually through Zoom interviews. Once the scope of the project is more developed, the filmmaker and director will negotiate the budget. Filmmakers are encouraged to discuss their rates in their cover letter.
TIMEFRAME:
• Applications due February 3rd, 2021.
• Review and interviews will take place in February & decision made by March 2021.
• Project will take place March-September 20201 (Dates may be extended)
• Final project will premiere in Fall 2021
Applications open until January 29th!
The Summit Planning committee is forming the Western MA Health Equity Youth Council. Youth members will be engaging in dialogue facilitated by a cohort of UMass graduate and undergraduate students about race, health, and equity as a part of a larger project to make youth voices visible in the discus...
Biden selects transgender doctor Rachel Levine as assistant health secretary
“She is a historic and deeply qualified choice to help lead our administration’s health efforts,” Joe Biden said of Rachel Levine.
Fighting for the Future of Public Higher Education in Massachusetts | NEA
Union members are winning the battle against budget cuts, and for public colleges and universities that give all students what they need.
State Representative Mindy Domb
Congratulations Rep Chynah Tyler on your new role as the new Chairwoman of the The Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus! So excited for you, the caucus and our work together.
Mortality rate for Black babies is cut dramatically when they’re delivered by Black doctors, researchers say
Citing systemic racism, they say more work needs to be done to understand the tantalizing statistics in their paper.
MotherWoman
It is #HealthyWeightAwarenessMonth. There are clear racial/ethnic weight disparities, and too often these disparities are blamed on individual tendencies, ignoring the systemic reasons. Check back for more info!
Join us: wochec.org
More: https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/browse.aspx?lvl=4&lvlid=25
The Time to Act is Now: The Urgency of Ending Mass Incarceration - Ms. Magazine
There are currently 220,000 women in prison, and 80 percent of them are mothers. It’s time for a collective effort against mass incarceration.
Senator Jo Comerford
Big MCAS news. Please see the following which was released this AM by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone who organized, raised your voices, and sent in personal stories. Your organizing mattered. Your passion mattered. Your stories mattered. People power mattered.
The Class of 2021 will *not* have to pass the MCAS to be awarded a competency determination -- put another way -- if students complete their requisite coursework, they'll graduate with a diploma which will allow them to pursue a path of their choice!
Grateful to Senate President Spilka and Senators Lewis, Friedman, and Brownsberger for their concerns and work around MCAS. Grateful to Rep. Hawkins who joined me in advocacy.
Thank you to DESE officials for choosing the right path forward.
Grateful to Citizens for Public Schools, Massachusetts Teachers Association, AFT - American Federation of Teachers for their staunch commitments.
Grateful to REAL Northampton for being a steadfast home base on this issue.
There's more, so read on. And I realize that this doesn't answer all outstanding questions.
We're NOT finished. Stay tuned for a newly-filed bill which will need all of us to push it forward.
Senator Jo Comerford
Sharing FIVE updates about vaccines:
1. Beginning in the coming week, first responders will received vaccines. They were designated as the third priority in Phase 1. More below (and note there are locations in Northampton, Amherst, at UMass and in Greenfield which you can see in the map): https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-vaccine-locations-for-first-responders
2. The three phases of vaccine delivery (linked below) are getting reviewed continually. If you have concerns and/or objections, please let me know. We can elevate your concerns to the Command Center for consideration and advocate on your behalf.
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/when-can-i-get-the-covid-19-vaccine
3. Our team is fielding A LOT of vaccine questions. We are delighted to answer constituents. Just email [email protected]. You can also email the state directly [email protected].
4. There are a great many outstanding questions about the vaccine, many of which are about distribution during Phases 2 and 3. We will relay new information to constituents who email and via social as it becomes available. You may know this metaphor: Building the road while traveling on it -- this is the situation with vaccine distribution. State and local public health officials must build the road *and* distribute at the same time.
5. YES I support as rapid a roll out as possible. NO these vaccines are not mandatory. And YES, as with all statewide efforts, I'm working with House and Senate colleagues to ensure #regionalequity in distribution.
And relatedly: NO I do not support efforts to decrease mask wearing. We're in the midst of a major, national spike with threats of a new strain becoming quite real. Now is the time to TIGHTEN mask protocols and increase restrictions -- for everyone's sake.
Happy New Year! Seeking contacts with young people across western MA to help guide the making of a film on Intergenerational Conversations on Racism and Health and the future.
'Bomba is an ancient genre of resistance from Puerto Rico created by enslaved people on the island over 400 years ago. Recently, bomba music has been a staple of Black Lives Matter protests calling back to its roots as a music of resilience. Together, hosts Linda Diaz and LA Buckner break down the musical and cultural elements that make bomba, bomba. Ivelisse Diaz of Bomba con Buya teaches Linda about bomba singing, and LA learns bomba drum rhythms.'
The Digital Home for Duke University Professor and Left of Black host Mark Anthony Neal
UMASS
Amherst, MA
01002
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Western MA Health Equity Network posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Department of Instructional Systems and Workf
Industrial Education Building, Mississippi StateAdler Homelessness Student Advocacy Organizat
17 North Dearborn Street, ChicagoNJCU Political Science Department
2039 Kennedy Boulevard, Jersey CityPSC Panther Dolls Cheer & Dance Team
900 West Daisy Bates Dr, Little RockRust College Office of Admissions and Recruit
150 Rust Ave., Holly SpringsWashington & Jefferson College Campus Store
60 South Lincoln Street, WashingtonSamuel Read Hall Library at NVU Lyndon
Library Academic Center [LAC], Northern Vermont University- Lyndon, LyndonvilleResearch & Innovation at the University of Ha
2425 Campus Road, Sinclair 10, HonoluluCentenary Univeristy Men’s Soccer
400 Jefferson Street, HackettstownCentenary University Athletics
715 Grand Ave., Hackettstown
Political Economy Research Institute - PERI
Gordon Hall, 418 N Pleasant St
Amherst College Sexuality, Women's and Gender
55 College Street
UMass Graduate History Association
161 Presidents Dr
Chemical Engineering / UMass Amherst
686 North Pleasant Street, 159 Goessmann Laboratory
UMass Facilities & Campus Services
360 Campus Center Way
