At our core, the Office for Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion within the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion aims to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging principles in alignment with social justice and collective impact by advocating for equitable policies, fostering trustworthy partnerships, and nurturing life-long learning.
But first, what is health equity?
“Health equity is the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Factors that affect health equity include: income and wealth gaps, education, workplace conditions, neighborhood and physical environment, healthcare access and use, social determinants of health, and social interactions such as discriminatory experiences and practices. Learn more.
What are our values?
In our work together, we strive to uphold the values of trustworthiness, adaptability, community, resilience and perseverance, innovation, effectiveness/impact, and social justice.
How do we achieve collective impact?
We use a systematic and collaborative approach that is rooted in bringing diverse groups together to work towards our common goals. We rely on community trust building with a focus on relationships, emphasizing mutually respectful collaboration, and forming innovative teams, allows us and our partners to advance health equity and transform the health of communities.
What can our campus and local communities expect from us in the upcoming year?
As the University of California serves as a model of resilience and innovation during challenging times, our office will continue to create meaningful and accessible education, strengthen our efforts to collectively create through programs like our Employee Resource Groups and Inclusion, Diversity, Anti-Racism, and Equity (IDARE).
As the University of California is one of the largest academic health systems in the U.S. As part of this extensive system, UC Davis Health serves as a significant advocate and support for diversity, equity, and inclusion work and the UC Davis Principles of Community continue to serve as our guide.
Our office has and will continue to focus on health equity to improve patient outcomes, anti-poverty initiatives, wellness, trauma informed community building and community engagement. We will continue our focus of fostering an inclusive campus community and sense of belonging at UC Davis Health, nurture our community partnerships through allyship, and continue efforts to improve economic opportunities in local underserved areas through our Anchor Institution Mission (AIM).
A Legacy of Community and Values
For 35 years, the Principles of Community have been a cornerstone of UC Davis, standing as a testament to our commitment to inclusion, respect, and belonging. We encourage our campus communities and community partners to join us in the upcoming Principles of Community 35-year reaffirmation virtual and in-person kick-off.
