Racial Health Equity Advisory Committee

Racial Health Equity Advisory Committee

ABOUT THE COMMITTEE:

The Racial Health Equity Advisory Committee (RHEAC) is an advisory body of the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC). The RHEAC makes recommendations in the planning, development, and implementation of BPHC's Racial Justice and Health Equity priority areas. RHEAC ensures that BPHC's work is responsive to community needs.

Vision

A culture of equitable community engagement where the lived experiences and expertise of Boston residents historically impacted by health inequities is reflected in BPHC decision-making.

Committee Members

The RHEAC is a 12-member committee that represents Boston’s racially and ethnically diverse viewpoints and interests. RHEAC membership reflects the communities impacted by health inequities. Prior experience or expertise in public health is not necessary. Community leaders with a range of life experiences are encouraged to apply.

Member Responsibilities:

Serve a 2-year membership term and attend 10 online group meetings a year.
Review health data reports, planning documents, and other materials to help ensure alignment with BPHC’s mission, vision, and health equity priorities.
Actively participate in meeting discussions and share community feedback and ideas with BPHC.
Represent the concerns and interests of their communities.
Share information about BPHC, public health, and health equity with their community.
Attend, as needed, other internal and external meetings.

Member Benefits:

Members will receive a stipend of $50.00 per meeting for participating in RHEAC and other approved meetings or events.
Free leadership development and educational trainings to enhance personal and professional skills.
Opportunities to ensure that community perspectives are considered in BPHC policy and program design.

APPLICATION

All applications are due Friday, July 16, 2021

You must be 18 years or older to apply and live in the City of Boston.

You cannot be employed by the City of Boston or the Boston Public Health Commission.

Two ways to apply:

Online Application

PDF Application

For questions or application assistance, contact:

Jannet Sanchez at JSanchez@bphc.org

Past Work

PAST WORK

From 2016-2020, BPHC has hosted 2 cohorts of the RHEAC. They have accomplished the following:

COMMUNICATIONS

Informed the Infectious Disease Bureau's flu and handwashing posters for an Influenza Campaign.
Informed the development of the Office of Health Equity "Moving Equity Forward" slogan.
Developed a COVID-19 Wear A Mask Instagram Campaign.
Created the RHEAC's Vision Statement.

POLICY DEVELOPMENT

Helped redesign the Patient Confidentiality Protection for Health Insurance Notice Fact Sheet with the Intergovernmental Relations Office.
Collaborated with the Office of Health Equity to plan and facilitate community conversations with youth on mental health.
Reviewed BPHC's The Guide to Advance Racial Justice and Healthy Equity.
Informed the development of BPHC's Community Engagement Plan and Toolkit.
Collaborated with the Office of Racial Equity and Community Engagement to organize focus groups on the COVID-19 vaccines.
Reviewed BPHC's Racial Justice Framework and shared definitions.

PROGRAMS & SERVICES

Informed the Homeless Services Bureau intake process for LGBTQ+ guests.
Assessed the Environmental & Occupational Health Division's engagament plan for parents of children with lead exposure.

STRATEGIC PLANNING

Informed the priorities of BPHC's Strategic Plan 2019-2022.
Informed the priorities of BPHC's Racial Justice and Health Equity COVID-19 Recovery Plan.

2019 – 2021 Committee Members

CURRENT MEMBERS


Apolo J Cátala Gámbaro is an urban farmer with a commitment to sustainable farming and a firm belief that food is medicine. He currently manages the OASIS on Ballou Urban Farm. He hopes to establish a cooperatively owned farming enterprise to grow nutritious food to impact the health of city residents.	Durrell J Harris is the Director in the Community Coordination Department of Action for Boston Community Development, Inc. Durrell serves on the Dorchester Board of Trade, Athletes without Borders, and the Cummings Foundation – Sustaining Grants Partners Committee.

Joyce Clark is a lifelong resident of Boston. She is an executive member and Climate Change & Environmental Justice Chair of the New England Area Council of the NAACP. Joyce is a doula with a passion for ensuring that Boston families and children are treated with respect and dignity and can achieve their fullest potential.	Kadian Edobor is a program coordinator for Sister2Sister at Action for Boston Community Development, Inc and unit coordinator for the emergency department at Boston Medical Center. Their daily work includes STI prevention for young women and group level interventions for girls to promote body awareness, safety, and wellness.

Maeva Veillard is the administrative coordinator at the Immigrant Family Services Institute. She is pursuing a Master's in Public Health at Tufts University School of Medicine. Maeva intends to work in public health to help eradicate racial disparities in healthcare.	Mervin Adams was born in Dominica, West Indies. She is a Nurse Practitioner with a focus on home visits in the community. She is active on various committees in her church and serves as a friendly volunteer visitor at Lemuel Shattuck Hospital.

Sahar Lawrence is a Program Coordinator for the Boston Housing Authority and leads the Grove Hall Trust, a non-profit that invests in community led projects in Roxbury & Dorchester. Her interest in health and community equity led her to various advocacy roles, such as GirlTrek and the Harvard School of Public Health’s Leaders in Health program.	Tiana L Bonner is the Director of the College and Financial Empowerment Program at Inquilinos Boricuas En Acción (IBA). She has dedicated her work to promoting educational equity, economic sustainability, social and political inclusion for individuals and families of color. She has been featured as a panelist contributing to conversations such as: The Potential of Youth Credit Building with Boston Builds Credit.
	Trayce B Booth is a long-time resident of the urban community of Boston. She is a single parent of four adult children, a grandmother of seven, and owner of one precious dog. She serves on the Board of Directors and Co-Chair of the Sustainable Development Committee at Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative. Trayce volunteers her time with Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corp Fair Foods.