Health Equity Committee Moving Onward

During our recent national convention, our beloved National Chair, and my mentor, Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole blessed me with the distinct opportunity of appointing me as the National Chair of the Health Equity Committee for NCNW. To say this is an honor, is an understatement. After discussing the direction of this committee, we collectively decided to focus on six health initiatives. These include breast cancer, affordable health care, HIV/AIDS, maternal health, mental health and COVID-19. It was gratifying to receive a great response from so many amazing NCNW members across the United States. The superior qualifications of applicants made the final committee selection process a challenge. So many of you are committed to providing opportunities of advocacy, education, and service for health equity in your communities, and are more than qualified to serve.

To everyone who applied, thank you for your support and interest to push this committee forward. It was difficult selecting a committee as there was an abundance of professional and more than qualified candidates to serve. Lack of health equity affects our communities in every disease category. I see the six focus areas as an expansion of NCNW's long-standing interest in reducing health disparities that will continue for years to come. The goals of this committee are to organize and implement activities and advocate for policy positions Sharah N. Denton, National Health Equity Chair

that advance equal access to high-quality affordable health care for every person as a human right.

NCNW is grateful to these talented and dedicated leaders in health care who have graciously consented to serve as expert advisors to the NCNW Health Equity Committee: Hyedia Broadbent - National HIV-AIDS Activist • Nakeitra Burse - Owner & CEO Six Dimensions, LLC • Benita Harris-McBride - Senior Public Health Advisor, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • Karen Eubanks Jackson - Founder/CEO of Sisters Network® Inc • Dr. Kathleen B. Kennedy - Dean of the Xavier University College of Pharmacy • Dr. Patricia Mathews-Juarez - Sr. Vice President and Professor,

Department of Family and Community Medicine, Meharry

School of Medicine • Masonia Traylor - Speaker, Community Advocate • Theresia Sims Carrington - HEA Assistant, and NCNW GA State

Coalition Secretary