Health Equity and Social Justice Statement
Emory Centers believes in the equitable treatment of all people, especially those impacted by historical and systemic discrimination. We actively and intentionally call upon our staff and community partners to take visible action to advocate for and advance the rights of all people through systemic changes that remove barriers and allow for equitable access to health and education. As health professionals we seek social justice and equity for all people to better improve our public’s health, and oppose discrimination that perpetuates social disparities.
At Emory Centers, we commit to ensuring ongoing change within our own organization and in the ways in which we partner with you and the communities you serve. We welcome your honest feedback as we grow in our own awareness and review of our own products and practices through a social justice lens. We honor and celebrate the unique gifts and experiences that our partnership brings to tackling the greatest of threats to public health – those social determinants at the root of differential health outcomes. Together, we will save lives, prevent suffering, and improve quality of life.
Here at Emory Centers for Public Health Training and Technical Assistance, we are moved to action, now more than ever due to recent events. We accept this time of upheaval and disruption as our call to re-commit to the following health equity and social justice priorities within our own public health business practices to better serve you and the communities you serve. We commit to:
- Advocating for health equity and justice in public health, and vocally rejecting the matrix of inequalities – racism, sexism, ableism, economic and cultural bias, etc. – in all its forms.
- Exploring novel community models for scaling the public health workforce nationwide that expand reach and availability of evidence informed programs to communities at greatest need
- Growing cultural humility and cultural awareness and responsiveness for our Emory staff and for our customers through ongoing learning and development courses and experiences that dare us to bravely face our biases, take a professional stance that is open to others, and strengthen our ability to interact effectively with people of different cultures.
- Applying a social justice lens to how, what and where we develop, deliver and disseminate our capacity building services, products and practices to ensure considerations of equity, access and systemic change.
- Advancing cultural relevance and inclusion in public health practice through intentionally engaging the communities we wish to serve in the design, delivery and dissemination of our products and services. This includes considerations of who we hire and who we engage as staff, consultants, and community partners.
No one ever told us that practicing public health would be easy; Indeed, it never has been. Emory Centers unites with you in common cause and singular focus to address the many public health challenges of our time, and to do so for the many people that make up this, our public health nation.
Thank you for your continued partnership with Emory Centers – DTTAC, HIV/COMPASS, PEQI, TTAC, and EnCORE.
