Ripples of Hope in the Mississippi Delta: Charting the Health Equity Policy

Panelists:

Jamila Michener (Moderator)

Jamila Michener is an Associate Professor of Government and Public Policy at Cornell University and Inaugural Director of the Center for Racial Justice and Equitable Futures. She is also Senior Associate Dean for Public Engagement at the Brooks School of Public Policy.

Charley E. Willison

Charley E. Wilson is an Assistant Professor of Public Health at Cornell University and a core faculty fellow in the Cornell Health Policy Center at the Brooks School of Public Policy.

Debra Bingham

Debra Bingham is the Founder and CEO of the Institute for Perinatal Quality Improvement, LLC.

Nicole Huberfeld

Nicole Huberfeld is Edward R Utley Professor of Health Law at Boston University School of Law and Boston University School of Public Health.

Sean Eversley Bradwell

Dr. Sean Eversley Bradwell serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Educationand currently serves as the Director for Ithaca College's Center for the Study of Culture, Race, and Ethnicity (CSCRE). He has research / teaching interests in educational policy, pedagogy, and social change.

L. Nicole Stringfellow

L Nicole Stringfellow is the CEO and Founder of FABRIC, Incorporated, since 2016, she has led a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to community empowerment in the Delta region.

The first 50 people to arrive will receive a free copy of the book. Snacks and beverages are provided!

About the Book:

The Mississippi Delta consistently ranks as having some of the worst health outcomes in the United States. Even with this stark reality, researcher David K. Jones (1981–2021) found "ripples of hope." For four years, Jones turned to residents and local leaders to learn firsthand the intricate connections between race, place, and health in the region. Using an innovative mix of photovoice, policy, and social science research, Jones weaves their insights with data analysis to show how local, state, and national policies and structures, whether or not intentional, constrain or expand daily choices that affect health.

Blaming individuals for poor health choices isn't the remedy. Jones describes how a community-led, goal-oriented approach to creating health equity policies is needed and that everyone benefits when we ensure that all people can pursue a healthy, fulfilling life. In this compassionate and practical book, Jones provides a roadmap for anyone who would like to make a difference wherever they live. Jones calls on his readers to act for change and provides examples from the Delta to show how. He reminds us that small steps —"ripples of hope"—can save lives and improve health.

Jones was killed in September 2021– at age 40 while his book was undergoing peer review. He died in a preventable accident that occurred due to a lack of investment in public infrastructure. His death underscores the main point of his book: people suffer, even die, when society does not uphold its values to protect each other.

Host or Publisher Center for Racial Justice and Equitable Futures