View a film and join an enlightening discussion in the next Henry Ford + MSU Health Equity Film Series featuring “The Deadliest Disease in America.”
This thought-provoking film, enhanced by expert-led discussions, highlights unequal treatment based on the skin color rampant in the healthcare machine.
Following the screening of the film, Renée Branch Canady, Ph.D., MPA, will moderate an engaging discussion on how bias and health inequity exist in modern-day healthcare.
By the end of this event, participants will identify increased knowledge and state an example of historical factors and mitigation strategies that influence bias and health inequity in modern-day healthcare settings.
Canady is recognized as a national thought leader in the areas of health inequities and disparities, cultural competence, and social justice. She has published and presented broadly on these topics and her passion for this work is evident in her personal, academic, and professional life.
This event is free, and due to limited space registration is required. For in-person attendees, light refreshments will be provided. This event is also offered to participate via Zoom.
The Deadliest Disease in America, a documentary film produced and directed by Crystal R. Emery, (p.g.a) traces the history of racism in American healthcare, beginning with the brutal medical experimentation that slaves were forced to undergo. As this story unfolds over our nation’s history, the very same inequalities and biases continue to plague our healthcare system, creating disparities in the quality of care that Black and Brown people are afforded. Interwoven with the testimonies of experts and medical practitioners are the personal stories of patients who have been victimized by healthcare inequities, including the filmmaker’s own experiences as a quadriplegic African American woman. The COVID-19 pandemic is an exclamation point calling attention to these existing disparities, as we have witnessed communities of color experience disproportionately high rates of infection, staggering losses of life, and increased economic hardship. This film is not just about exposing the inequities in our healthcare system; it is also about re-establishing the humanity of Black and Brown Americans who have been rendered invisible, less valuable, and unworthy of their own lives. Throughout the film, voices from two public forums—consisting of doctors, nurses, activists, policy makers, and other community members—act as a “Greek chorus” to weave the pieces together, introducing issues and offering solutions. The film also highlights three organizations throughout the country that are making significant strides in resolving this crisis and models possibilities for civic engagement. The Deadliest Disease in America provides the rare opportunity to present a film that is directed and produced by a production team of color, bringing special sensitivity and honesty to the exploration of this issue that affects their lives.
Renée Branch Canady, Ph.D., MPA serves as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MPHI. Before joining MPHI in 2014, Canady served as the Health Officer and Director of Ingham County Health Department, located in Lansing, Michigan. Canady has also held faculty and administrative positions within the C.S. Mott Department of Public Health in the College of Human Medicine and the College of Nursing at Michigan State University, where she developed a research trajectory in health inequities. She continues to serve as an assistant professor chairing the core course “Health Equity for Public Health Practitioners.” Canady is recognized as a national thought leader in the areas of health inequities and disparities, cultural competence, and social justice. She has published and presented broadly on these topics and her passion for this work is evident in her personal, academic, and professional life. Canady has been an outstanding public health advocate, researcher, educator, and facilitator. She earned her Ph.D. in Medical Sociology from Michigan State University, a master’s degree in public administration from Western Michigan University, and a bachelor's degree in public health nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The product of a landmark, 30-year partnership introduced in January 2021, Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences is focused on setting a new standard for how individuals and communities experience care across the state of Michigan and the nation. The partners are addressing vital pillars of health outcomes: research, education, and care. As partners, Henry Ford Health and Michigan State University are creating a unified research community and investing in emerging cancer research and care; working to fight the health disparities that plague our most vulnerable communities in rural and urban settings; and preparing the next generation of physicians and nurses. To learn more about the Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences partnership, visit henryfordmsu.org.
Sponsored By:
Henry Ford + MSU DEIJ Speaker Series
Michigan State University College of Nursing
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