Quentin D. Young Equity Project - Health & Medicine Policy Research Group

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Quentin D. Young Equity Project



For more information about this program please contact:

Wesley Epplin
Policy Director wepplin@hmprg.org


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Quentin D. Young Equity Project

Quentin D. Young, MD, was a life-long warrior for social justice, and this project aims to shape the next wave of progressive activists to build on his legacy.

  • Overview

Overview

Beginning in 2016, a Health & Medicine committee of board and staff worked to develop an pilot program to bring together activists from different backgrounds and sectors to build relationship and develop new approaches to achieving an equitable society. More than a typical “leadership” training program, the Project was designed to offer participants an opportunity to learn from justice-minded colleagues in other fields, create lasting networks, question and analyze current approaches, and collaboratively realize innovative and effective solutions to barriers to equity. The Quentin D. Young Equity Project seeks to produce transdisciplinary knowledge and approaches to addressing complex social challenges.

The 2016-17 Cohort
In the summer of 2016, Health & Medicine initiated recruitment for our first cohort of QDY Equity Project activists. The interest we received was overwhelming and we responded to requests for information from over 50 professionals from diverse sectors. We were gratified by this strong interest, which demonstrates a true need in our City for interdisciplinary, collaborative conversation and collective action to address our most pressing challenges. As a result of this enthusiastic response, we ultimately invited 31 participants to join our first cohort–representative of the range of voices and perspectives needed to foster innovative solutions and includes diversity of gender, race, and age with participants ranging from those in their 20s to 60s, as well as a range of professional backgrounds from nursing to transportation, behavioral health, community development, and sustainable energy just to name a few.

A full-day launch was held on November 19, 2016 which grounded participants in the history of organizing and progressive social change while providing an opportunity for project planning. Participants then collaboratively planned six monthly meetings on the following topics: Economic Justice & Worker Rights; Whiteness & Privilege; Intersectionality of Immigration and Incarceration; Healthcare Access; Climate Change; and Structural Segregation. Each meeting provided historical context, connected participants with leading thinkers, and provided time for dialogue and reflection. The cohort completed their time together at celebration event on June 27, 2017.

Visit our blog to learn more about the cohort’s work!

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