RWJF

RWJF is cultivating and connecting change leaders across the nation who are working individually and collectively toward a society in which health is no longer a privilege, but a right. We are making shifts to invest in the leadership of people and organizations who are deeply committed to structural change and the long-term work of dismantling structural racism. This fall, we're hosting a series of webinars to explore how leadership can drive change by challenging inequities in institutions, systems, and social practices. The first event, "Increasing Diversity in the Health Professions," with the Consortium of DEI Health Educators (CDHE), will offer practical strategies for collaborating across academia and healthcare to diversify the healthcare professions. Registration required.

Join us on October 21 for a lively conversation between two leaders who are shaping the future of research. Listen in as they share bold ideas for how we can broaden research practices and beliefs to confront structural racism and advance health equity.    Get inspired as they get real about research and take on big questions like:   - What happens when researchers are guided by a community’s needs, instead of their own research agenda?   - What new insights and solutions can researchers unlock when they work side-by-side with young people, neighborhood residents, and others who bring first-hand knowledge and lived experience?

Join us on October 22 to hear from two trailblazing researchers dedicated to putting the public back in public health and ensuring the next generation of researchers reflect the communities they study.    Tune in as they talk to each other 1:1 about their groundbreaking work and how they put communities and health equity at the center. Hear about the solutions they see, and what it will take to make the future of research more equitable and inclusive. 

On October 24, join two visionary thinkers for a conversation about putting equity at the center of health research.    With one examining the health impact of structural racism and another working to democratize access to research, this is sure to be a lively conversation about the big, challenging questions we must ask ourselves to create a healthier, more equitable world. Listen in to learn how these topics go hand-in-hand and open up our imaginations to new possibilities for the future of research. 

We know that the expansion of knowledge through research is crucial to transform health. But all too often science locks knowledge away behind fees and firewalls.     On October 23, hear from two changemakers working to make research more open and collaborative, with shared ownership of data and findings. Their efforts are paving the way toward a future of greater transparency, integrity, and trust in research that answers questions most important to us.  

Our research system as we know it today has been largely shaped by White men. Join us on October 25 to hear from two visionary academics who are breaking through biases to conduct research that produces better, more inclusive health knowledge. Tune in as they talk shop and trade stories about how they are challenging the research status quo and readying the next generation of scientists—including women, Indigenous people, and others who have historically faced barriers in academic research—to transform health.

To advance health equity, we ALL must harness our voting power to ensure that our leaders and policies reflect the needs of every community, especially those who have historically been marginalized. The #USTransSurvey’s Civic Engagement Report surveyed trans people to find out what policies matter to them. Their top concerns include: Violence against transgender people (46%) Racial justice (38%) Coverage for trans-related health care (34%) At a time when trans people are facing increasing political and legal attacks, we must all stand united in defense of their rights, dignity, and well-being, ensuring that everyone has the freedom to live authentically and without fear. Read the report for more:

💡Did you know? Over 60% of successful ballot initiatives in the last 10 years were related to health. 🤔Why does it matter? Ballot measures can be transformative for people's health and wellbeing. They provide opportunities for communities who have been pushed to the margins by systemic racism to have a direct say on policies that matter most to them, from Medicaid expansion, to abortion access, to paid leave. Amidst rising efforts from partisan lawmakers over the past decade to change the rules and threaten efforts to pass policies that can improve health for all, RWJF is investing in and partnering with organizations who are protecting ballot measure access. In the latest Health Affairs policy brief, a team at the University of Michigan - Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy researches patterns of successful and unsuccessful ballot initiatives and what this means for the role policymakers, practitioners, advocates, and researchers play in protecting ballot measure access. Learn more about the connection between ballot measure access and health equity: https://bit.ly/4dQw5Eg

Imagine walking into a hospital or clinic where doctors, nurses, and public health professionals of every race, ethnicity, gender, disability status, and background are providing culturally sensitive and inclusive care. Ensuring our healthcare workforce mirrors the diversity of our nation is essential to our work at RWJF as we focus on dismantling structural racism and other forms of oppression that are barriers to health and wellbeing.      In my first blog post since joining the Foundation, I share why diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the health professions is critical to paving the way together toward a future where health is no longer a privilege for some, but a right for all. Research shows that physicians from historically marginalized communities are more likely to work in underserved areas and can improve important patient outcomes, like infant mortality rates. Studies also show that efforts to address racial inequities, such as those in maternal health, improve the health of patients of all races, ethnicities and backgrounds. As I’ve seen firsthand in my career, when we embrace diversity, everyone benefits.    That’s why RWJF’s Leadership for Better Health portfolio is increasing its investments toward a diverse healthcare workforce by 60 percent over the next three years. As we go all in on our commitment to DEI, we will take a systems change approach by investing in academic institutions that have made significant contributions to diversifying the health professions. We will also support groups of institutional change leaders and champions both within and outside academic healthcare settings who are dismantling racism in academic admissions and health professional training.     Read more about RWJF’s new strategy to foster a diverse healthcare workforce: https://rwjf.ws/KucWsI      #HealthEquity #DiversityInHealthcare #StructuralRacism #LeadershipForBetterHealth   

Dismantling structural barriers to healthcare requires engaging with the structures that keep those barriers in place. RWJF recently submitted public comments on five federal rules that made healthcare more inclusive, demonstrating a powerful way advocates can help shape federal policy.      Interim Executive Vice President Dr. Avenel Joseph writes about why public comments are critical now more than ever, and what impact the finalized rules will have on healthcare access.      https://rwjf.ws/qJ4gas