April 21,2023, Jorge Elvir, Community Relations Manager for the Equity and Engagement Department, presented on “The City of Champaign’s Community Gun Violence Reduction Blueprint” at the Environmental Justice and Racism virtual event. This event was hosted by Carle in collaboration with the University of Illinois and Carle Illinois College of Medicine.
The main goals of the Environmental Justice and Racism Roundtable are to:
- Enhance awareness of the clinical impact of environmental justice and racism.
- Connect pollution and climate change to public health.
- Increase collaboration between local communities, academia, and healthcare regarding environmental justice and racism research, advocacy, and policy.
- Examine how loopholes form and maintain environmental sacrifice zones.
This virtual session on environmental justice in Central Illinois aims to increase healthcare providers’ awareness of local issues and actions. Additionally, participants learn about Carle’s community health initiatives and opportunities to get involved in solutions.