Health is often discussed as an individual responsibility, but our health and well-being are shaped by much more than personal choices. Where we live, work, learn, and access care can all influence our health outcomes. For many BIPOC communities, social, cultural, economic, environmental, and systemic factors can create additional barriers to healthcare, mental health support, and other resources. Understanding these factors can help us better understand why health disparities exist and why health equity matters.
Public Health Is Personal: Health, Equity & BIPOC Communities is a 90-minute virtual workshop designed to help participants understand the connection between public health, health equity, and the lived experiences of BIPOC communities. Through education, guided discussion, reflection, and practical resource sharing, participants will explore how healthcare access, socioeconomic conditions, cultural beliefs, representation, environmental conditions, and systemic barriers can influence individual and community health.
Together, participants will examine how public health extends beyond hospitals and healthcare settings and into the communities where people live, work, learn, and connect. The workshop will explore how culture, identity, lived experiences, and representation can shape healthcare experiences, while highlighting the importance of culturally responsive care and building trust within communities that have historically experienced barriers to equitable care.
Rather than viewing health disparities as the result of individual choices alone, this space encourages participants to consider the larger systems and conditions that influence health and well-being. Participants will also explore how community voices and lived experiences can help shape more effective public health initiatives and why meaningful community involvement is an important part of building trust and advancing health equity.
Through conversation, reflection, and practical tools, attendees will leave with a stronger understanding of public health and the factors contributing to health inequities affecting BIPOC communities. Participants will gain strategies for becoming more informed, advocating for themselves and their communities, navigating available resources, and contributing to healthier and more equitable communities.