The Andrea Harris Social, Economic, Environmental, and Health Equity Task Force’s Educational Opportunity Subcommittee will host a virtual public roundtable on Tuesday, October 27, 2020 from 6-8 p.m. The Educational Opportunity Subcommittee serves to develop policy recommendations that will create educational opportunities for communities of color in health literacy, financial literacy, general academia, as well as recommendations on strategies to increase funding for health education in community centers that service vulnerable communities.

Five outstanding leaders in healthcare, finance, and academia will participate in an hour-long structured conversation focused on how the Task Force can leverage existing programs or resources, or create new ones, to minimize or eliminate health and economic disparities in communities of color throughout the pandemic and beyond. The panelists will be joined by members of the Task Force’s educational opportunity subcommittee. The roundtable panelists are as follows:

• Mary Ann Wolf, PhD, President and Executive Director of the Public School Forum of North Carolina
• Janeen Bryant, Co-Founder and Director of Operations at the Center for Racial Equity in Education
• Creighton Blackwell, SVP and Chief Culture & Impact Officer at Coastal Credit Union
• Chris Shank, CEO of the North Carolina Community Health Center Association
• Nandita Mani, PhD, Associate University Librarian for Health Sciences & Health Sciences Library Director

The second hour of the event is open for the public to provide input on community needs, resources, or programs that will create or expand financial, health, or general educational opportunities in communities of color.

HOW YOU CAN PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT

• Members of the public can sign up for a three-minute time slot to offer input on community needs, resources, or programs that will create or expand financial, health, or general educational opportunities in communities of color.
• Once individuals sign up, they will receive a link to log on to and participate in the session.
• The public comments session can also be streamed live on the NC Department of Administration’s YouTube channel.

The Educational Opportunity Subcommittee members include:

• Dr. Lenora Campbell, Dean, College of Health and Human Sciences, NC A&T State University
• Pat Martinez, Member of the Governor’s Commission on Inclusion, President and CEO, Leadership in the Clouds
• Dr. Sonyia Richardson, Assistant Professor at the School of Social Work and BSW Program Director, UNC-Charlotte, Cabarrus
• Quinny Sanchez, MSW, Health Care Access, Stakeholder Engagement, Community Outreach
• Annette Taylor, Member, NC Council for Women Advisory Board, Minority Business & Community Affairs Manager, NC Education Lottery, Adjunct Professor, NC Central University
• Margaret Weller-Stargell, Chair, NC Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services Waiver Advisory Committee, President and CEO, Coastal Horizons Center

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About the NC Department of Administration

Established in 1957, the Department of Administration acts as the business manager for North Carolina state government. Under the leadership of Secretary Machelle Sanders since appointed by Governor Roy Cooper in 2017, the department oversees Government Operations and advocacy programs. The department’s advocacy programs provide advocacy, assistance, and services to diverse segments of the state’s population that have been traditionally underserved.

About the Andrea Harris Social, Economic, Environmental, and Health Equity Task Force

Established under Executive Order No. 143, the Andrea Harris Social, Economic, Environmental, and Health Equity Task Force (Andrea Harris Task Force) addresses the social, environmental, economic, and health disparities in communities of color disproportionally impacted by COVID-19. The Task Force is named in honor of the late civil rights activist, Andrea Harris, who dedicated her life to eliminating disparities in North Carolina, co-founding the non-profit Institute of Minority Economic Development in Durham and serving on the state’s Advisory Council for Historically Underutilized Businesses.

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