There is no one-size-fits-all approach to quality, equitable healthcare. Everyone deserves a healthcare system that caters to their individual and collective needs. We challenge Missouri's health institutions to meet those needs by maintaining diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as an integral elements of their operations, their treatment plans, and their overall culture.

Oppression, stress, lack of safety, lack of support in public and professional settings, and a host of other factors lead to higher rates of suicidality, high blood pressure, maternal and infant mortality, organ failure, and numerous other health-related problems. Our mental and emotional well-being deserves just as much attention and care as our bodies.

Just as the care we receive from healthcare institutions must be tailored to our unique needs in order to be effective, our focus on addressing health disparities in Missouri as an organization must be customized to tackle the distinct issues our various communities face. We model what we we desire from the healthcare system through our own behavior.

We know that natural gas is not a permanent climate solution. We appeal to regulatory oversight authorities to protect the vulnerable families who are least able to afford the cost of overbuilding new energy plants and escalating fuel costs. Additionally, we advocate for energy efficiency offerings to reach low-income communities of color by meeting with energy providers in Missouri to identify opportunities for expanded outreach and engagement.

The existence of carcinogens in groundwater in the community presents an immediate threat. We are championing the effort to address this dangerous issue, beginning with an investigation with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. To date, 270 documents have been produced by the Department. As that number grows, we will analyze the information and determine a course of action to rectify the issue.

Lead in drinking water has been a historically prevalent issue in Black communities, posing extreme risks to the health of young people, mothers, and families. In Missouri, we would derive more than 7 billion dollars in public health cost savings from full lead service line replacement. We are challenging the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to expeditiously replace lead service lines across Missouri utilizing federal water infrastructure funds.