Rollins Celebrates National Public Health Week
By Kelly Jordan
Every year during the first week of April, the American Public Health Association organizes National Public Health Weekaround a theme to celebrate the achievements surrounding public health and to place focus on specific issues impacting the nation’s health. This year’s theme, “Public Health is Where You Are,” emphasizes, “where we live impacts our communities’ health” and focuses specifically on progress and opportunities related to issues of racism, mental wellness, the public health workforce, accessibility, climate change, health as a human right, and community.
In support of this annual event and the collective effort it represents, President Joseph R. Biden recently issued a Proclamation on National Public Health Week acknowledging the contributions of the public health workforce to American society and recommitting to improving the nation’s health. In the proclamation, he officially recognized April 4-10, 2022, as National Public Health Week and called on all, “citizens, government agencies, private businesses, non-profit organizations, and other groups to take action to improve the health of our Nation.”
While improving the public’s health serves as a unifying purpose for the Rollins community on a daily basis, National Public Health Week has long been an anticipated annual opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to congregate, debate, and celebrate around the year’s theme. For 2022, the Rollins Student Government Association has planned a series of events in coordination with the week’s daily themes. All events are open to members of the Emory community.
Schedule of Events
Daily Theme: Racism: A Public Health Crisis
Monday, April 4 initiated the week’s itinerary with a kick-off event in the Rollins courtyard that included coffee and conversation, followed by a Community and Belonging Showcase on the bridge (an area connecting the Grace Crum and Claudia Nance Rollins buildings on the first floor), which featured 13 student poster presentations investigating the topic: Racism as a Public Health Crisis as well as a tabling event by members of some of Rollins’ community and belonging organizations. Posters will remain up on the bridge area until April 8.
Daily Theme: Public Health Workforce: Essential to Our Future
Tuesday, April 5 featured a tabling event in the Rollins courtyard by the Rollins Election Day Initiative.
Daily Theme: Community: Collaboration and Resilience & Mental Wellness: Redefining the Meaning of Health
On Wednesday, April 6, RSGA and SET will host Rollins Recess in the courtyard from 12-1 p.m.
Later in the afternoon, Dr. Victoria O’Keefe, Mathuram Santosham Chair in Native American Health at Johns Hopkins University, will deliver the presentation, “Indigenous Teachings: Lessons for Public Health,” at 4:30 p.m. in the Emory Student Center, multipurpose rooms 5-6. Please register here.
Daily Theme: World Health Day: Health is a Human Right
On Thursday, April 7, a coffee break will take place on the Rollins bridge from 11- 1 p.m., followed by a gardening hour in the Rollins garden from 1-2 p.m. The day closes with a world health trivia night in the Claudia Nance Rollins Auditorium from 5-6 p.m.
Daily Theme: Accessibility: Closing the Health Equity Gap
On Friday, April 8, please join the Georgia Public Health Association and RSGA for the panel event, “Closing the Health Equity Gap,” from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in room 1051 of the Claudia Nance Rollins Building.
Daily Theme: Climate Change: Taking Action for Equity
Saturday, April 9, marks a service day from 9-12 p.m. with Truly Living Farm, Kirkwood Neighbors Organization, and Trees Atlanta. Those volunteering with the event should meet at Rollins to coordinate transportation on the day of the event. At 1 p.m. a Climate Scholars Picnic will be held at Westside Reservoir Park and is open to all students of the partner colleges and universities engaged with the Georgia Climate Project.
Please visit RSGA’s event linktree to register for events and learn more details about specific activities.
