Dear Closing the Health Gap Community:

At Closing the Health Gap, we’re proud to support “MENtality Day,” a powerful and timely event taking place June 14 at New Life Temple. This free event brings together expert voices to tackle the critical issues of fatherhood, financial matters, gun violence, and building new operating systems for personal and community growth. These topics are not just conversation starters—they are the cornerstones of stronger families, safer neighborhoods, and a healthier Cincinnati for all of us.

We encourage every member of our community to attend and take part in this important dialogue. Let’s show up for ourselves and for each other. To register, call 513-550-8733 or email here. Together, we can close the gap—one conversation at a time. Wishing everyone a safe and healthy week ahead.

Renee Mahaffey Harris

President & CEO

WHO Report: Health Inequities are Shortening Lives by Decades

A new global report published by the World Health Organization (WHO) highlights that the underlying causes of ill health often stem from factors beyond the healthcare, and may include lack of quality housing, education and job opportunities. The report on social determinants of health equity shows that such determinants can be responsible for a dramatic reduction of healthy life expectancy – sometimes by decades – in high- and low-income countries alike.

For example, the report shows that people in the country with the lowest life expectancy will, on average, live 33 years shorter than those born in the country with the highest life expectancy. The social determinants of health equity can influence people’s health outcomes more than genetic influences or access to health care.

“Our world is an unequal one. Where we are born, grow, live, work and age significantly influences our health and well-being,” noted WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, MD, PhD.

Closing the Health Gap Board Member George Vincent to be Honored by Talbert House on June 5 for Fatherhood Celebration

Join Talbert House for the Fatherhood Celebration Thursday, June 5 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at Memorial Hall. Presented by the Hatton Foundation, this event honors fathers and raises funds for Talbert House’s Fatherhood Project, a program dedicated to supporting responsible, committed, and nurturing dads.

Enjoy an evening of networking, appetizers, drinks, and treats prepared by Lucia Calonge, a former contestant on Food Network's Kids Baking Championship. The event will feature George Vincent, Partner at Dinsmore, as the Keynote Speaker and Community Father of the Year. The event will also honor Erik Spottz, Graduate Father of the Year. Guests will have the chance to participate in a raffle and auction. Learn more or RSVP at www.talberthouse.org by May 22.

Trump-led attacks on equity are setting the stage for our next public health crisis

The Trump administration is advancing an anti-equity agenda that will make people in the U.S. sicker and less economically secure. In his first 100 days, Trump rescinded dozens of Biden-era executive orders designed to advance racial equity and directed federal agencies to end all diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility offices and programs. His “Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy” EO takes direct aim at the pursuit of racial equity as a policy goal by attacking Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin (and religion and sex as well in the case of title VII) in programs that receive federal funding and employment, respectively.