Together Forward: Collaborating to Advance the Health of LGBTQIA+ Women
Speakers:
Keynote Speaker: Tonia Poteat, PhD, MPH, PA-C
Dr. Tonia Poteat is an Associate Professor of Social Medicine, core faculty in the Center for Health Equity Research, and a physician assistant in infectious disease at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (UNC). Her research, teaching, and clinical practice focus on LGBTQ health with particular attention to the role of intersectional stigma in driving health inequities.
Mary Anne Adams from ZAMI NOBLA
Mary Anne Adams is Founder and Executive Director of ZAMI NOBLA-National Organization of Black Lesbians on Aging dedicated to building a national base of power for Black lesbians 40 + centering service, advocacy, and community-action research. She has extensive experience leading research around LGBTQ health and health inequities. She is currently a co-investigator on a ground-breaking study assessing the impact of COVID-19 on the needs of aging lesbians. She also serves as a Commissioner and Board Chair with the East Point Housing Authority. Adams was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2006 and participates in many aspects of breast health advocacy. She has a Master of Social Work with a specialization in community partnerships.
DEEPLY ROOTED in Atlanta, Georgia with a national reach, ZAMI NOBLA (National Organization of Black Lesbians on Aging) is a membership-based organization committed to building a base of power for Black lesbians over the age of 40 living anywhere in the country. We center Service, Advocacy, and Community Action Research.
As the only organization in the country expressly building power for Black lesbian elders by us, with us, and for us, all of our projects and programs are consistent with the aim to organize our base, build community, and advance women’s and LGBTQ rights and to increase and sustain power.
Shaunya Thomas from Lesbians of Color Symposium Collective, Inc.
Shaunya Thomas is a convener, equity architect, and coalition builder. Ms. Thomas is the co-founder of Lesbians of Color Symposium (LOCS) Collective, Inc. – a nonprofit organization dedicated to sustaining community and cultivating equitable resources for queer women and non-binary BIPOC. She is an experienced community organizer committed to maintaining relationships across allied social, political and civic agencies. Ms. Thomas also curates an annual symposium (LOCS) and the Melanin Pride Festival, a boutique film festival and an art exhibition for QTBIPOC.
The Forum:
The Judy Bradford Memorial LGBTQIA+ Women’s Health Research Forum will be held virtually on Thursday, June 16th from 5:30 pm – 7 pm EST.
Logistics:
The forum will be held virtually on Thursday, June 16th from 5:30-7pm.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
If you have any questions, please contact Whitney Crebase: [email protected]
Our Mission:
In this gathering, we aim to bring together community members, healthcare providers, and researchers to discuss strategies to improve engagement in primary and mental and behavioral healthcare among LGBTQIA+ women. Comparatively, LGBTQIA+ women experience more physical, mental health, and substance use problems than their cisgender and heterosexual peers. A better understanding of barriers to care and innovative strategies to facilitate access to care are needed. Through this forum, we aim to begin a conversation to collaborate in sharing experiences, science, and ideas related to increasing engagement in care and reducing health inequities. The experiences and ideas shared at this forum will be used to guide future steps in clinical care and research to enhance the health and wellbeing of LGBTQIA+ women.
In Memory of Judy Bradford
Dr. Judy Bradford was a pioneer in the field of LGBT research, leading some of the first national studies focusing on lesbian health. As founding Co-Chair of The Fenway Institute from its inception in 2001, Judy played a key role in building a framework for LGBT-focused research and teaching. She was the first research scientist to head an NIH-funded population studies center focused on sexual and gender minority health, and the first to receive NIH funding to support a summer institute to train the next generation of LGBT health researchers, held right here at Fenway. Judy was a key influencer of NIH policy as a member of the Council of the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities. She was a passionate believer in improving the health of our communities by performing ground-breaking research and mentoring the next generation of LGBT health scientists.