NEW ORLEANS (press release) – The Louisiana Public Health Institute, in partnership with Healthy Blue Louisiana and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana, has announced that applications are being accepted until Oct. 15 for participation in the 2022 Racial and Health Equity Learning Lab.
The Learning Lab is a twelve-month program where cohort members increase their knowledge of core racial equity concepts and receive guidance as they incubate strategies designed to address systemic and institutional racism in their organizations and communities throughout the state. At the conclusion of the program, members present team plans at a funders forum where selected proposals can receive funding and support by Healthy Blue Louisiana, the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation, and other funders from across the state who have a commitment to achieving health equity in Louisiana.
The first Learning Lab cohort launched shortly after LPHI and Health Blue Louisiana held the inaugural Symposium on Racial and Health Equity in Louisiana in March 2021. The 2021 Learning Lab cohort was made up of 30 individuals from organizations throughout Louisiana. Two teams from within the cohort each received $25,000 to implement their Applied Community Projects which included expanding access to Art Therapy services in New Orleans and creating training recommendations for medical providers to improve the quality of care of BIPOC LGBTQ+ patients in the state.
“The Learning Labs allow us to amplify the energy and extend the impact of the Symposium throughout the year in a concentrated way,” said Shelina Davis, CEO of LPHI. “We are proud to offer this opportunity to guide the cohort members through this experience once again and greatly appreciate our partnership with Healthy Blue Louisiana and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation.”
The 2022 Learning Lab follows the second annual Symposium on Racial and Health Equity in Louisiana that was held in April 2022, where over 570 individuals from organizations across Louisiana explored how systemic racism has impacted maternal and child mortality, digital equity, disaster recovery, and more.
“The work Healthy Blue Louisiana has already completed with LPHI has increased the capacity to address systemic barriers and social inequities caused by racism throughout the state, and that gives me confidence that as we continue our innovative Learning Lab efforts through 2022, we will be successful in dramatically improving health and lives by making Louisiana a more equitable place for everyone,” said Dr. Christy Valentine-Theard, president of Healthy Blue Louisiana.
The application for participation and additional information about the 2022 Learning Lab can be found at RacialAndHealthEquityLA.com.