“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” —Audre Lorde
Many of us have been running the marathon toward health equity at a sprinter’s pace—through an ongoing pandemic, the public murders, attacks and harassment of Black, Latino, Asian, Indigenous and other people of color, and in the face of persistent structural inequities both at home and around the world. Lately, in conversations with the organizations we support and work with, nearly every individual has reported degrees of grief, exhaustion, anxiety, and frustration. They’re not alone—many people are still grappling with the collective trauma of the last two years. Which leads us to a crucial truth: We will not be successful in centering equity in our communities if we do not make space to care for ourselves and each other in the process.
It is time to give ourselves and our colleagues, clients, and partners permission for that space. In this webinar, we created that space for healthcare professionals and partners to come together, rest, and heal. We also highlighted examples of ways people are creating space for resilience, rest, camaraderie, and joy on the path to equity. And lastly, we outlined steps you can take and resources you can use to cultivate such spaces for self-care in your own teams and organizations. Because if we make this care a part of our essential practice on the path to equity, we can sustain the energy and growth we need to get there.
Speakers:
- Rishi Manchanda, MD, MPH, CEO, HealthBegins (host)
- Patricia Avila-Garcia, MPH, Project Manager, Health Outreach Partners
- Cynthia Selmi, Executive Director, Health Outreach Partners
- Taylor Goyette-Frechette, Trainer & Project Coordinator, Mass General Brigham
Webinar Objectives:
By the end of the webinar, attendees will be able to:
- Describe the need to care for ourselves and each other on the path to health equity.
- List examples of ways in which mission-aligned organizations are creating space for resilience, rest, and even joy.
- Identify at least one step or resource to better care for yourself and your team on the path
Featured Content
Staff Spotlight: Erica Jones, Following Her Path and Passion to Help People
“I wish people would try to advocate for themselves more, because I feel like there's this power struggle and people don't feel like they can.”
Staff Spotlight: Kyron Pierce, The Eagle Scout with a Passion For Helping People Lead Healthy Lives
“[Health equity] is very hard work and it might be some years for us to see the fruits of our labor, but it'll be worth it when you do produce it.”
Staff Spotlight: Alejandra Cabrera, Perfectly Imperfect Artist and Health Equity Advocate
When I work with people and communities, I always think back to this sense of not belonging and it drives me to continue to do the heart-work we need to do to advance health equity.