AS015: Social Consciousness Summit, Covid-19 (2020)
8th Annual Social Consciousness Summit (Apr 23, 2020). Theme: “COVID-19: Understanding and Breaking the Socio-Economic and Racial Disparities.” Michael Nixon, Andrews University VP for Diversity & Inclusion, moderates the discussion, where panelists seek to carefully explore some of the core reasons for the racial and socioeconomic disparities that have come to light in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss what these disparities reveal to us about the inequities that predated this pandemic; how the pandemic has worsened those inequities; and the policies and practices we can advocate for to begin the process of addressing them. The 2020 Summit is co-sponsored by Spectrum Health Lakeland, The Andrews University Office for Diversity and Inclusion, the AU Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Campus Center, the Office of Research & Creative Scholarship, and the Office of the Provost. Co-curricular credit is available for students who view the episode. After watching, go to http://tiny.cc/auspeaks10 to answer a question about the presentation. PANELIST BIO SKETCHES: • Dr. Harvey Burnett, Associate Professor of Psychology and Chair of the School of Social & Behavioral Sciences at AU. His family is from the Grand Portage Band of Ojibwas. • Dr. Lynn Todman, Executive Director for Population Health at Spectrum Health Lakeland in St. Joseph, Michigan. In her role, she helps set the strategic direction of the health system efforts to improve population health and reduce health inequities. Dr. Todman is also the catalyst behind Community Grand Rounds, a speaker series designed to educate healthcare providers and community members in Berrien County, MI. • Dr. Padma Tadi Uppala, Professor and Chair of the School of Population Health, Nutrition and Wellness at Andrews University, and also Program Director for Public Health. She has received several grants and conducted research in the areas of breast cancer and minority health. • Ingrid Weiss Slikkers, Assistant Professor of Social Work, has been a social worker and therapist since the early 90s and currently teaches at Andrews. She comes from an Uruguayan/Argentinean family and has done focused work with the Latino community. Over the last 7 years, she has worked locally with programs for refugees coming from overseas and immigrants, specifically unaccompanied immigrant children. As the director of the new Trauma Center at Andrews, she has had the opportunity to take graduate students to work on the Navajo Reservation and also traveled abroad two refugee camps to educate and help with trauma. • Twyla Smith, Assistant Professor of Social Work & Director of Field Education at AU • Nicki Britten, Health Officer for the Berrien County Health Department • Dr. Anita Fernander, Associate Professor of Behavioral Science in the College of Medicine at the University of Kentucky. Her primary area of research and teaching has focused on examining the impact of race-related stress on health disparities among African Americans. She is also the Founder & Chair of the Lexington-Fayette County Health Disparities Coalition. • Dr. Brandy Lovelady Mitchell, Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for the Kent Intermediate School District The event planning committee includes Jerry Price (Manager for Inclusion & Diversity at Spectrum Health Lakeland), Carlisle Sutton (Director of Community Engagement, Integration & Services at Andrews University), Michael Nixon (Andrews University Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion), and Jeff Boyd (AU Office fo Research & Creative Scholarship). CREDITS ------------ THEME MUSIC: “Onward” by Podington Bear (Free Music Archive) PRODUCER: Jeff Boyd, Office of Research & Creative Scholarship EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Gillian Panigot & Stephen Payne (University Communications) COPYRIGHT: ©2020 Andrews University