Webinars

Health Equity Initiative's webinars are intended for professionals, communities and leaders from multiple sectors and disciplines. Our webinars focus on important topics in health equity policy and practice. To receive updates from Health Equity Initiative on upcoming webinars and other events and resources, register for our email newsletter by clicking here.

Past and Recorded Webinars

Community-driven Urban Planning: Urban Planners Partner with Community Residents to Promote Health Equity and Address Bias

The webinar discussed solutions to the systemic power dynamics that may eliminate inequities in the urban design process, and include the voice of neighbors/residents in the design and implementation of urban plans. The webinar was intended for community leaders, professionals and students in the fields of public/community health, healthcare, medicine, urban design, technology, nutrition and other related fields, who were interested in improving the impact of their organizations on health and racial equity, and other related topics. Speakers included Josh Leffingwell, Partner/Founder, Well Design Studio; Corey Omey, Partner/Architect, EMA; and Adriana Akers, Project Manager, Gehl. This webinar was moderated by Bree Bode MPH, CHES, Co-Chair, Volunteer Member Professional Development Committee, Health Equity Initiative and Michelle S. Davis, PhD, Advisory Council, Health Equity Initiative. Renata Schiavo, PhD, MA, CCL, Founder and President, Board of Directors, Health Equity Initiative delivered welcoming remarks.

Slides/View: Download Josh's slides and Adriana's slides. Log in to our Member-Only Center to watch this webinar.

Modern Redlining: Recognizing the Impact of Digital Redlining and Implicit Bias during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This webinar covered pressing topics at the intersection of digital redlining and implicit bias. The webinar was intended for community leaders, professionals and students in the fields of public/community health, healthcare, medicine, urban design, technology, nutrition and other related fields, who were interested in improving the impact of their organizations on health and racial equity, and other related topics. Speakers included Anu Gupta, Founder, BE MORE with Anu; Gigi Gilliard, Writer, Trainer, Executive Coach; and Charles Walker, Retail Specialist, Fair Food Network. This webinar was moderated by Bree Bode MPH, CHES, Co-Chair, Volunteer Member Professional Development Committee, Health Equity Initiative. Renata Schiavo, PhD, MA, CCL, Founder and President, Board of Directors, Health Equity Initiative delivered welcoming remarks.

Slides/View: Download Anu's slides, Gigi's slides, and Charles's slides. Log in to our Member-Only Center to watch this webinar.

Health Equity and the Built Environment: Engaging New Allies in Planning a Healthy City - Webinar Series

Supported by a generous grant of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and in partnership with the Gehl Institute, this three-session webinar series focuses on the concept that "place matters"—that the physical environment can protect against or exacerbate health inequities. The series centers on the intersection of design, planning, community development, and public health, as well as the consequences of different urban design approaches on health equity. It helps people "see" their surroundings and their relationship to health with new eyes, as well as provide resources and tools for increased participation of community leaders and “non-designer” professionals in the urban design process. The series’ aims to provide professionals and community leaders from relevant sectors with insights into how the built environment intersects with issues of safety, access to healthy lifestyles, and the overall physical, mental and emotional health of our communities. The webinars also provide participants with sample resources and steps on how to become engaged or engage others in the urban design process. The series is intended for community leaders and professionals in the fields of public health, healthcare, government, urban planning, design, transportation, education, and others.

Strategies for urban designers to engage local communities

This webinar addresses urban designers and other professionals on the importance of early, sustained and genuine engagement with local communities—residents, business owners, neighborhood organizations and leaders—to understand their history, dynamics and unique needs, challenges and opportunities. Health Equity Initiative shared its expertise on effective strategies to engage and empower communities to meaningfully participate in planning their community and shaping a vision for their future. Additionally, a successful urban design project was explored to understand barriers to productive participation and ways to overcome them. Moderated by Shin-Pei Tsay, MSc, Executive Director, Gehl Institute, the webinar features presentations by Glenn Ellis, MPH, CHCE, Past Board Secretary, Board of Directors, Health Equity Initiative; Renata Schiavo, PhD, MA, CCL, Founder and President, Board of Directors, Health Equity initiative, and Myrna Lezcano, Associate Director of Education & Cultural Organizing at Friends of the High Line.

View on YouTube: Strategies for urban designers to engage local communities

Improving the physical environment to advance health equity: Case studies on community engagement

This webinar will employs three case studies to demonstrate community engagement strategies in successful and innovative urban design projects. Speakers from relevant organizations, both national and international, that serve the health needs of vulnerable communities through urban design share their experiences with advocating for change at the community level and promoting communal ownership and action. The webinar was moderate by Health Equity Initiative's Board member, Friso van Reesema, MPH, and featured the following speakers: Aisha Alexander, Director, External Affairs, Kaboom; Sarah Ruel-Bergeron, RA, LEED AP BD+C, Project Architect, ARCHIVE Global; and Katherine Thompson, Co-Chair, Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park.

View on YouTube: Improving the physical environment to advance health equity: Case studies on community engagement

How to See Health + Space: Urban Design for Non-Designers

Intended for community leaders and professionals in the fields of public health, healthcare, government, design, transportation, and others, this webinar emphasizes the link between urban design and health equity, and discusses the basics of the process of urban design as well as tools and knowledge that may help non-designers identify health promoting and impeding facets of the built environment, and participate more actively in the urban design process. Moderated by Dr. Renata Schiavo, Founding President, Board of Directors, Health Equity Initiative, the webinar features presentations, case studies and experience by Julia D Day, Associate, Gehl , and Helen Leung, Co-Executive Director, LA Más.

View on YouTube: How to see Health + Space: Urban design for non-designers

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Other Webinars

Racism? Or Barriers to Health Equity? Communicating Health Equity
A Conversation with Dr. Dwayne Proctor of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Dr. Dwayne Proctor shared what the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has discovered about communicating health equity to diverse audiences. Attendees heard and were invited to comment on framing messages to engage broad and diverse constituencies. The webinar was moderated by HEI's Founder and President, Board of Directors, Dr. Renata Schiavo.

Slides/View: Click here to download a copy of Dr. Proctor's presentation. Log in to our Member-Only Center to watch this webinar

Implementing Systems-Level Change for Health Equity: Recommendations and Call to Action from Health Equity Initiative's 2016 Summit

This webinar included a discussion and Q&A on the recommendations and call to action that emerged from Health Equity Initiative's first-of-its kind 2016 summit, Implementing Systems-Level Change for Health Equity: A Partnership Summit. Drawing upon the input and participation of the nearly 115 U.S. and international community leaders, students, and professionals from the fields of community development, public health, healthcare, faith, housing, urban design, architecture, information technology, nonprofit, academia, philanthropy, among others, the summit report and recommendations has implications for health equity, community development, and everyone's ability to thrive and prosper. This webinar was moderated by HEI Board Member and Co-Chair, Public Policy and Membership Committees, Friso van Reesema, MPH, with speakers including HEI Founding President, Renata Schiavo, PhD, MA, and HEI Board Member, Lenore Cooney.

View on You Tube: Implementing Systems-Level Change for Health Equity: Recommendations & Call to Action (2016 Summit)

Addressing Health Disparities: Population Health and the Value Proposition

Achieving health equity in clinical settings requires collaborative efforts among different stakeholders, communities, and professional sectors that contribute to efficient health systems, so that together we can successfully implement best practices that increase equity in quality of care. This webinar was designed to provide a common understanding about best practices to address health disparities as well as diverse perspectives about how participants can work within their institutions and communities to catalyze action around health disparities.

The webinar discussed approaches, models, and case studies to building capacity and spurring the systems changes needed to address health disparities in a coordinated way. Health Equity Initiative's Founding President, Board of Directors, Dr. Renata Schiavo, is joined by Distinguished Guest Speaker Dr. Kenneth Smith, formerly Director of Community Development and Health Policy, and Interim Director, Center to Eliminate Health Disparities, University of Texas Medical Branch, and currently Senior Public Health Research Analyst at the Texas Health Institute.

View: Log in to our Member-Only Center to watch this webinar.