Combining arts and humanities to improve health equity

A recent article from cbs19news.com, discusses a new fellowship program designed to support scholars, artists, and clinicians whose work integrates arts and humanities to advance health equity. This initiative is a collaboration between the University of Virginia Center for Health Humanities and Ethics, the UVA Health Office for Diversity and Community Engagement, and Virginia Humanities. The inaugural fellows, Jess Walters and Fancie Terrell, are artists committed to advocating for health equity and justice through their art, community engagement, and daily practices.

Jess Walters is a mixed-media artist and disability justice advocate from Charlottesville. Their work focuses on removing systemic social and economic barriers for disabled and chronically ill populations, and they actively work to improve accessibility and inclusion in local arts organizations and events. Fancie Terrell, based in the Richmond area, is a creative and community organizer who has faced challenges related to poverty and racism. They use art to combat systems of oppression and to amplify the voices and experiences of queer people, particularly concerning access to health-related resources.

The fellowship program embodies the statement made by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1966, highlighting the extreme injustice in health disparities. The program, along with the fellows' scholarly work, aims to advocate systemically and build community capacity with an equity mindset, thus aligning with UVA Health's mission to transform health and inspire hope for all.

Relating this to the mission of Arts for Everybody, the article aligns with the organization's vision of supporting artists and leveraging the power of arts to lead to healthier communities and individuals. Arts for Everybody is involved in projects that demonstrate how the arts can improve health and foster community cohesion. They have a national team comprising individuals like Nataki Garrett, Clyde Valentin, and Dr. Jill Sonke, who are dedicated to integrating arts and health and ensuring the future of the theater industry by positioning artists as thought leaders and change makers who transform culture. This organization is engaged in numerous initiatives that challenge traditional boundaries and highlight the intersections of art, technology, and social justice, much like the fellowship program discussed in the article.

Thus, the article's focus on combining arts and humanities to improve health equity resonates with the mission of Arts for Everybody. Both are dedicated to using the arts as a medium to address and alleviate health disparities and to foster inclusive and healthier communities.

Check out the full story at cbs19news.com