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Our word for the month is OUTSIDE!
August has taken us outside the walls of Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) and into the communities we serve locally, nationally, and globally. Locally, we had the opportunity to represent the MSM Satcher Health Leadership Institute at one of Atlanta’s oldest and most well-established Black churches, Greater Piney Grove MBC. We caught a flight to New York City and served as panelists at the National Medical Association's Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly. We ended the month with an international trip to Africa for the 7th Annual Africa Interdisciplinary Health Conference. Everywhere we’ve gone this month, whether around the city, country, or the world, we have shared the important message of advancing HIV Health Equity.
August is also the month when we recognize Southern HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (SHAAD). On August 20, we used our social media platforms to highlight the disproportionate number of people living with HIV in the South. Dr. Standifer’s interview with BlackDoctor.org was intentionally published on this day. See the link to the article in our "In The News" section below.
As always, thank you for being a part of the Morehouse School of Medicine SHLI community. We are on the go and we will not stop until everyone has access to the information and resources needed to thrive!
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Meet Justin C. Smith, MS, MPH
Director, Campaign to End AIDS, Positive Impact Health Centers
Justin is a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) student at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He has spent his career developing community-driven strategies to address the HIV epidemic and improve LGBTQI+ population health. He is also the Director of the Campaign to End AIDS at Positive Impact Health Centers in Atlanta, GA, where he leads stakeholder engagement to develop and implement the Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) strategy for Metro Atlanta. Before joining Positive Impact Health Centers, Justin spent five years working in the Division of HIV Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where he implemented a new component of the CDC’s HIV surveillance system that focused on young gay and bisexual men and developed HIV-related health equity indicators. While working at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Justin led a statewide college HIV awareness and testing initiative that helped thousands of college students across North Carolina learn their HIV status.
Justin has held high-level leadership positions serving as the co-chair of the Stigma and Disparities subcommittee of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) and as a White House Mpox Equity Workgroup member. In these roles, he offers recommendations to the U.S. government to help shape the national response to these public health challenges. He also served as co-chair of the Health Subcommittee of the Atlanta Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Board and holds leadership roles in several national coalitions that work to center racial equity in the HIV response, including PrEP in Black America and United We Rise.
In addition to authoring more than 30 publications in the academic public health literature, Justin’s commentary and writing on issues at the intersections of public health, racial justice, sexuality, and popular culture have appeared in media outlets including The Washington Post, ProPublica, CNN, NPR, WIRED, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Capital B, The Daily Beast, Al-Jazeera, and CNP’s The Reckoning.
Justin holds an MS in Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences from Emory University, an MPH in Health Behavior from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and an AB in Sociology and Community Health from Brown University.
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BIG SHOUTOUT to MSM SHLI Project Director Jareese Stroud, MPH, who represented MSM Satcher Health Leadership Institute this month at the Greater Piney Grove Missionary Baptist Church Community Impact Day. Nearly 1000 people had access to life-saving information at the Morehouse School of Medicine SHLI booth. Along with such important information, patrons who stopped by received goodie bags containing an HIV home test and Georgia Thrives-branded items like pocket mirrors, snuggly socks, a pill box, notepads, a charger device, and a fingernail file. | |
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The MSM SHLI team took center stage at the 2024 National Medical Association Annual Convention & Scientific Assembly in New York City. This event is the nation’s premier forum on medical science and African American health. During the Satcher Health Leadership Institute Symposium, titled "The Role of Clinical Advocacy in Social Justice," the team had the chance to discuss current social advocacy efforts in clinical settings.
They showcased health equity-based tools and resources that can be used in social justice advocacy and developed innovative strategies and recommendations for clinicians and healthcare providers to act as social justice advocates within their professional environments. Sponsored by ViiV Healthcare, Inc. with information on the GeorgiaThrives HIV work funded by Gilead Sciences, the event honored the legacy of Dr. David Satcher, the institute's namesake.
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David Satcher, MD, PhD
Dr. David Satcher is the Founding Director and Senior Advisor for the Satcher Health Leadership Institute. He held the rank of four-star admiral in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and served as the 10th Assistant Secretary for Health and the 16th Surgeon General of the United States.
As a prominent advocate for health equity, we are honored to bear his name and uphold his legacy.
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From August 21-23, 2024, the team attended a crucial conference titled "Healthcare in Africa: Collaboration, Innovation, and Sustainability" at the Bohlaleng Building, University of the Witwatersrand, in Johannesburg, South Africa. Given Africa's vast and diverse landscape, healthcare challenges necessitate comprehensive solutions. The focus was on collaboration among governments, private sectors, healthcare professionals, and communities, creating a strong support network and shared reservoir of knowledge.
By adopting innovative approaches, such as advanced technology and digital health solutions, the conference showcased groundbreaking research and successful case studies. The Morehouse School of Medicine team joined this collective effort to revolutionize healthcare delivery and outcomes, ultimately enhancing the quality of life across Africa. The GeorgiaThrives workshop issued a call to action urging participants to enhance the implementation of equitable HIV strategies in programs they lead within their respective countries.
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HIV in the South & Its Impact on Black Women
"With the right education, prevention, and treatment, people living with HIV can lead healthy, fulfilling lives. It’s crucial to break down the stigma associated with HIV and encourage open conversations about sexual health, testing, and prevention."
Dr. Maisha Standifer
MSM Satcher Health Leadership Institute
Director, Population Health
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The Satcher Health Leadership Institute encourages everyone to get tested and know their status. Click here (pages 37-38) to view a listing of local area testing sites (Source: NIH-funded Center for AIDS Research at Emory University). Together, we can mark another milestone in the Black community's ever-evolving history of better tomorrows and brighter futures. | | | | |
