The Strength of Our Collective Commitment to Health and Equity

Friends and Colleagues,  

As we find ourselves in the wake of another election and are seeing the outpouring of supportive messages from so many of our public health and community partners, we’re reminded once again of the strength of our collective commitment to efforts that improve the well-being of individuals, families, and communities across the country. At the Network, we hold tight to our belief in the power of public health law and policy to improve lives and make our communities safer, healthier, stronger, and more equitable. We understand that the road ahead may be challenging for many and take comfort in knowing that we will continue to come together to find solutions and paths toward our goals. 

In public health, progress is deeply intertwined with the spirit of community collaboration. 

One of the greatest assets of the public health community is the ability to share knowledge and resources. By pooling together diverse perspectives and expertise, our community can address complex challenges, ensuring that public health initiatives are both innovative and adaptive to changing needs.  

The election has highlighted the differences in how people perceive and value our government, its role, and who it serves. How we navigate the post-election landscape will have a lasting impact on democracy, the social determinants of health, and public health authority. 

We invite you to attend a webinar on November 21^st, organized in collaboration with the Institute for Responsive Government—the new home of Healthy Democracy Healthy People, and Missouri Center for Public Health Excellence for a discussion about the relationship between health and democracy; the tensions facing government, public health authority, and health equity; and what we can expect in 2025 from the post-election landscape at all levels of government, but especially state legislative opportunities for democracy to deliver for people and communities. We hope that you will attend and share your perspective with us, and your colleagues and partners around the country.  

The potential to make a difference in public health is immense, and we are confident that through our collective efforts, we can continue to create meaningful improvements in the lives of individuals and communities. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our public health community for your unwavering dedication and hard work. We will share more in the coming months about how the Network will escalate our support to public health and community partners, including focusing on and creating space at the 2025 Public Health Law Conference in September for many of you to connect on ideas and strategies.  

Thank you for your resilience and for being an anchor for the important work so many of us are pushing forward to advance health and equity. 

With hope and determination,