“Every child matters. Every family matters. These numbers are telling us we cannot wait. We need people who are healthy and educated.” -Dr. Flavio Marsiglia
The annual Arizona Health Equity Conference is a unique forum that unites 300 healthcare providers and professionals, nonprofits, researchers and more around one central cause: moving past the disparities that keep Arizonans from having healthy lives. This event is unique in that it is put on by a Planning Committee of 15 volunteers from different nonprofit organizations around the Valley. Esperança has attended the event yearly, with a clear goal to brainstorm and identify paths to improve community health and create change in the existing healthcare delivery system.
This year, Esperança was represented on several levels. David Schlinkert, an Esperança Board member, presented compelling research on providing medical care for refugees in the United States, Tiffany Luu served for a second year on the Health Equity Conference Planning Committee, and program staff Anna Ortiz, Julieta Larios, and Xochitl Wilson attended as representatives for public health services. Read their takeaways from the event below:
Esperança staff & Board pictured with keynote speaker, Dr. Flavio Marsiglia, at Arizona’s 2019 Health Equity Conference