BLKHLTH disparities informational

 The BLKHLTH informational on healthcare disparities was a very eye-opening event. I learned that in many predominantly Black neighborhoods, there are countless liquor stores but very few grocery stores with fresh produce. That reality resonated with me because it clearly showed how access and environment shape health long before someone sees a doctor. Add is really shocked me how widely accepted this is, now reflecting on my journey back from the airport as I waited on my uber I was next to a twenty something year old white girl who was accompanied by what I assume was her mother, what stuck out to me was when she said “We’re going downtown so if you want any real groceries were gonna have to stop before we get there” what brushed over my head before hold so much more weight as I was educated on how this keeps our community’s down. These structural inequities have been normalized for so long that many people stop questioning them.

This experience strengthened my civic orientation, teaching me that public health isn’t entirely about individual choices but is also centered around collective responsibility. As someone passionate about wellness, I began thinking about how food insecurity and environmental neglect affect mental health, too. This brought me to the realization that the real challenge is creating and sustaining change. I left feeling both frustrated and inspired to be the kind of healthcare professional who doesn’t just treat symptoms, but confronts the systems that cause them.

- Giavonni Whitener