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Colorado School of Public Health News and Stories

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Community    Epidemiology    Community and Practice    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at CU Anschutz    ColoradoSPH at CSU    Community Health    Health Advocacy

Colorado School of Public Health Reaffirms its Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion; Implements Innovative Search Advocate Program

Sixteen words sum up the mission of the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (OEDI) at the Colorado School of Public Health (ColoradoSPH). It is to “shape policies, practices, and programs that support a fair, diverse, and respectful environment for all individuals.”


Author Tyler Smith | Publish Date January 23, 2024
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Community    Community and Practice    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at CU Anschutz    Workforce Development    Community Health

Barbershops and Salons Prove Fruitful Grounds for Addressing Hypertension Rates in the Black Community

If one goes in search of a stark public health problem, it’s difficult to avoid rates of hypertension in the Black community. The disease threatens all groups, but the percentage of Black adults with high blood pressure (at 59%) is by far the highest. In the relatively healthier state of Colorado, the incidence of high blood pressure among Blacks is much lower (at 34%), but it is still the highest by far among all groups in the state.


Author Tyler Smith | Publish Date December 19, 2023
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Community    Giving    Community and Practice    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    Workforce Development

Colorado Health Foundation Supports Rural-Colorado's Queer Youth with Donation to ColoradoSPH

The Colorado School of Public Health’s Center for Public Health Practice recently received a generous donation from The Colorado Health Foundation to bolster the Center's efforts to engage and support queer youth throughout rural Colorado.


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Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at CU Anschutz    Worker Health

The Intersection of Women, Health & Work

Women's health is not just a women's issue. It's a societal issue that affects local communities and the economy. While women have made major headway towards equality, many areas of their lives require additional support to be made truly equal to their male counterparts. One of those areas is in the workplace.


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Community    mHealth    Community and Practice    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    Artificial Intelligence (AI)    AI/AN health    Community Health    Latino Health

ColoradoSPH Takes Lead Role in Advancing Equity and Diversity in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Innovation

The Executive Order on the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI) issued by President Biden on October 30 is a directive that contains no fewer than 13 sections. But two words in the opening line strike at the challenge presented by AI: “promise” and “peril.”

As the document’s statement of purpose puts it, AI can help to make the world “more prosperous, productive, innovative, and secure” at the same that it increases the risk of “fraud, discrimination, bias, and disinformation,” and other threats.


Author Tyler Smith | Publish Date November 30, 2023
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Child & Adolescent    Community and Practice    Equity Diversity and Inclusion   

Ambassadors for Literacy and Resilience Guide Young Students Along a Path to Success

Sonya Palafox was a freshman at North High School in Denver 25 years ago when she got a message kids don’t want to hear: come to the principal’s office. She had no way of knowing it at the time, but the call would represent a turning point in her life.


Author Tyler Smith | Publish Date November 30, 2023
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Community    Students    Community and Practice    Student and Alumni    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    Community Health

Community-Based Programs Work with Local Refugees to Improve Health

Across Colorado, a diverse community of some 60,000 often unseen and overlooked people dots the state. They are refugees who have fled drought, poverty, persecution, violence and other threats from countries around the globe. But their challenges do not cease once they arrive in Colorado. Their plight frequently contributes to chronic medical problems.


Author Tyler Smith | Publish Date October 05, 2023
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Women's Health    Epidemiology    Community and Practice    Equity Diversity and Inclusion   

National Academies Committee Probes the Outcomes of Supreme Court Ruling on Abortion Rights

On its face, the June 2022 Supreme Court ruling on the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case was straightforward. It removed the constitutional right to an abortion that had been established in 1973 by the court in Roe v. Wade. Decisions about access to abortion would now be left up to the states, many of whom quickly imposed tight restrictions, while a handful of other states, including Colorado, acted quickly to ensure a woman’s right to determine what is best for her health.


Author Tyler Smith | Publish Date October 02, 2023
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Community    Community and Practice    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    AI/AN health

Online Certificate Program is One of Three in the Nation Focused on American Indian/Alaska Native Health

There are 574 “Tribal entities” recognized by the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs. The members of these tribes live in most of the contiguous 48 states in the nation, from Washington to Florida and Maine to Arizona. The Bureau of Indian Affairs also recognizes the 228 tribes of Alaska Native people who live across Alaska’s yawning expanses, yet public health education that centers on investigating and addressing the needs of these diverse communities and cultures is still a “niche market,” says Jerreed Ivanich, PhD, assistant professor of community and behavioral health and in the Centers for American Indian & Alaska Native Health at the Colorado School of Public Health. But Ivanich is leading an effort to change that. He directs the Certificate in American Indian & Alaska Native Health program, an online offering that is directed toward helping students develop the skills necessary to meet the most important healthcare challenges for Native people.


Author Tyler Smith | Publish Date September 05, 2023
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Student and Alumni    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at CU Anschutz

Outstanding Leader In Our Community: Raeven Clockston

Raeven Clockston is an alumna of the Colorado School of Public Health (ColoradoSPH), where she was a leader both in and out of the classroom. Her work towards anti-oppressive practices and leadership in student council has led her to her current position as Equity Specialist in the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at the ColoradoSPH.


Author Joanna Garcia | Publish Date April 03, 2023
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Research    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at CSU    Climate Health    Environment

Racially Segregated Communities More Vulnerable to Toxic-Metal Air Pollution, CSU Study Finds

For many decades, it’s been known that communities of color are exposed to more air pollution than their predominantly white counterparts.


Author Anne Manning | Publish Date November 01, 2022
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Students    Social Justice    Student and Alumni    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at CU Anschutz    Community Health

ColoradoSPH Doctoral Candidates Named APHA & Kaiser Community Health Scholars

Two Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) students from the Colorado School of Public Health at CU Anschutz have been selected as part of the 2022 American Public Health Association (APHA) and Kaiser Permanente (KP)Community Health Scholars program. Makala Carrington and Shenazar (Shane) Esmundo are among the 19 candidates chosen for the competitive scholarships, awarded to graduates seeking either their DrPH or MPH degrees. The awards help to cover tuition expenses.  


Author Tyler Smith | Publish Date September 12, 2022
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Alumni    Student and Alumni    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at CU Anschutz    Community Health

ColoradoSPH Alumni Selected for Equity Focused Public Health Fellowships

This year, two Master of Public Health graduates of the Colorado School of Public Health at the University of Colorado  Anschutz Medical Campus, Hue Phung and Kristina Brandveen, are among a dozen alumni selected from six participating schools to receive competitive fellowships from the American Public Health Association (APHA) and Kaiser Permanente (KP). The national Public Health Fellows Program, now in its second year, is designed to “support the development of diverse, underrepresented public health leaders who are committed to improving the health of our most vulnerable communities and pursuing health equity for all.”  


Author Tyler Smith | Publish Date September 12, 2022
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Community    COVID-19    Infectious disease    Community and Practice    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at CU Anschutz    ColoradoSPH at CSU    Environment

ColoradoSPH Dean Chair of National Academies Report on Protecting All US Workers and the Public from Inhalation Hazards

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends two frameworks for providing respiratory protection for the nation — one for workers and one for the public — a need made clear by the COVID-19 pandemic and increasingly frequent wildfires. The report makes the case that all types of workers, including essential and gig economy workers, should be covered by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or equivalent respiratory protection requirements when exposed to inhalation hazards in the workplace. It also calls for a coordinated system to ensure all members of the public, including children, have access to appropriate respiratory protective devices and guidance on their effective use. 


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Research    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at CU Anschutz    AI/AN health    Community Health

Unique Strengths and Facilitators in American Indian and Alaska Native communities Can Help Reduce Food Insecurity

Urban dwelling American Indian and Alaska Native older adults face multiple layers of challenges related to social determinants of health that present barriers to healthy eating. However, the social and cultural value placed on sharing and supporting one another within these communities can help improve healthy food access for older adults, according to a new study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, published by Elsevier.


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Community    Alumni    Awards    Community and Practice    Student and Alumni    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at CU Anschutz

MPH Grad Takes on Timely Issues With Inaugural Public Health Fellowship

As an undergraduate at the University of Oregon, Justice Onwordi learned the intricacies of human physiology. After earning her degree in 2018, she applied her skills as an exercise physiologist in the Denver metro area. She contemplated moving on to medical school or to a nurse practitioner program, but ultimately Onwordi determined that her professional path must go through public health.


Author Tyler Smith | Publish Date December 28, 2021
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Equity Diversity and Inclusion    Data and Health

Creating Applied Biostatistics Opportunities for Underrepresented Students and Graduates

The Center for Innovative Design and Analysis (CIDA) prides itself on being at the front lines of innovation and inclusivity. In addition to advancements in statistical analysis, design, and data science, CIDA has also taken measures to create a more diverse presence on the campus. With the formation of the Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee in 2020, one of the committee’s objectives was to reach out to students outside of the biostatistics programs and create opportunities for them to learn and work with data.


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Community    Community and Practice    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at CU Anschutz    AI/AN health    Community Health

Manson Receives National Academy of Medicine's Sarnat Prize for Improving Mental Health Services for American Indian, Alaska Native Communities

The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has named Spero M. Manson as the recipient of the 2021 Rhoda and Bernard Sarnat International Prize in Mental Health for his 43-year career dedicated to improving the mental health of American Indians and Alaska Natives — and bringing a culturally informed lens to the assessment, epidemiology, treatment, and prevention of mental health conditions. The award, which recognizes Manson’s achievements with a medal and $20,000, will be presented at the NAM’s virtual annual meeting on October 17, 2021. Manson, Pembina Chippewa, is a distinguished professor of public health and psychiatry at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and The Colorado Trust Chair in American Indian Health at the Colorado School of Public Health.


Author Colorado School of Public Health | Publish Date September 15, 2021
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Student and Alumni    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at CU Anschutz

From the Classroom to the Community, Raeven Clockston Advances Equity

Raeven Clockston’s commitment to public health didn’t begin with reading books or sitting in classrooms. It started with her youthful observations of life in and around her Denver community.


Author Tyler Smith | Publish Date August 19, 2021
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Student and Alumni    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at UNC

Steven Burton Combats “Fear of the Unknown” with Education on LGBTQ+ Issues

As an undergraduate student at Mississippi College, Steven Burton studied biological and medical science and saw his future as a physician assistant or a medical doctor. A stint in the pediatric emergency department at the University of Mississippi Medical Center changed that.


Author Tyler Smith | Publish Date August 19, 2021
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Students    Infectious disease    Student and Alumni    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at CU Anschutz

June Homdayjanakul’s Global Public Health Voyage Brings Her Back Home to Fight Racism

Over several years, June Homdayjanakul traveled tens of thousands of miles and explored many cultures, only to return to the community in which she grew up—Aurora. But coming full circle doesn’t mean she is standing still, much less moving backward. Far from it.


Author Tyler Smith | Publish Date August 19, 2021
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Students    Student and Alumni    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at CU Anschutz    Maternal & Child Health

Syd Staggs Works to Create a World More Accepting of All

At a very early age, Syd Staggs felt isolated in their conservative Colorado community in a family that they describe as “traditional Catholic Italian-Americans.” Now 27, Syd recalls not having the words as a young kid to describe their gender identity, but it was clear they were different from other peers.


Author Tyler Smith | Publish Date August 19, 2021
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Press Coverage    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at CU Anschutz

A Respected Denver Doctor Ends Her Practice, But She’s Not Done Serving Her Community

Cerise Hunt, PhD, Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at ColoradoSPH and co-founder of the Colorado Black Health Collaborative (CBHC), discusses the impact that Dr. Terri Richardson, primary care physician and co-founder of the CBHC, has had on the community during her 30-year career.


Author CPR | Publish Date August 03, 2021
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Community    Students    Scholarship    Community and Practice    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at CU Anschutz

Inaugural Group of Students Receive ColoradoSPH Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Scholarships

The more than year-long COVID-19 pandemic brought racism and social and economic disparities into the spotlight in the United States, highlighting the long-overdue work that needs to be done to build a more equitable, diverse and inclusive society. With a first-ever scholarship fund created last fall, the Colorado School of Public Health took a step toward making that goal a reality.


Author Tyler Smith | Publish Date May 25, 2021
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Students    Women's Health    Student and Alumni    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at UNC

Project M.E. Pushes for Menstrual Equity at UNC

UNC senior Rosie Glaser realized there was a problem when she visited Colorado State University’s campus in Fort Collins. She saw something there that did not exist at UNC: free menstrual products in every all-gender restroom. Glaser then thought of a way she could influence change at UNC.


Author Ian Gross | Publish Date May 04, 2021
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COVID-19    Alumni    Student and Alumni    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at CU Anschutz    Community Health

Encouraging Black People to get COVID-19 Vaccines: This Duo is on A Mission to Build Trust

Dr. Cynthia Hazel is a public health expert. Her husband, Dr. Kweku Hazel, is a surgeon. Both understand that some people of color are hesitant to get COVID-19 vaccines. The Hazels are eager to show that vaccines are safe, while helping leaders more effectively reach out to Black people, immigrants and other underserved people. Photos by Cyrus McCrimmon for UCHealth.


Author Katie Kerwin McCrimmon | Publish Date January 08, 2021
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Students    Student and Alumni    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at CSU

MPH Student Works with City to Improve Transportation Equity

Morgan Turner, a second year MPH student in the Physical Activity and Healthy Lifestyles concentration at CSU, wanted to pursue public health because of its diverse application to many areas of life. She was attracted to the variety within public health and how elements of public health are relevant throughout most, if not all, industries. After her first two semesters of coursework, she was interested in working with healthy equity and wanted to explore working in the public sector in local government with the city of Fort Collins. She completed her practicum and is currently working on her capstone with the city and FC Moves, which is a department within the city’s Planning, Development, and Transportation division. Their work is primarily focused on advancing mobility solutions to increase walking, bicycling, transit use, and shared and environmentally sustainable modes of transportation.


Author Megan Jansson | Publish Date November 14, 2020
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Students    Scholarship    Student and Alumni    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at CU Anschutz    ColoradoSPH at CSU    ColoradoSPH at UNC

New ColoradoSPH Diversity & Inclusive Excellence Scholarship Fund

While watching events unfold across the country over recent months, Professor Dawn Comstock was left feeling like she needed to do something tangible to address the ongoing systemic racial and ethic disparities. That’s when she decided to help establish a new scholarship fund to accelerate the Colorado School of Public Health’s efforts to increase the diversity and inclusive excellence of the school’s student body.


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Research    Women's Health    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at UNC    Community Health

Redefining Women’s Health for Transgender and Nonbinary Inclusivity

Traditionally, women’s health has been defined by its contrast to men’s health, but using a male/female gendered dichotomy to define entire fields of medical care has resulted in entire populations, like transgender and nonbinary (TNB) individuals, falling through the cracks.  According to a new commentary co-authored by Colorado School of Public Health researchers and published in Women’s Health Issues, there isn’t enough research on TNB health needs to help restructure health services in an evidence-based way to better serve these populations.


Author Tori Forsheim | Publish Date January 02, 2020
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Community    Community and Practice    Equity Diversity and Inclusion    ColoradoSPH at CU Anschutz    Workforce Development    Community Health    Maternal & Child Health

Healthy Babies, Strong Families: Joining Forces to Address African-American Infant Mortality

It’s a heartbreaking statistic: African-American/black infants in Colorado are two-and-a-half times more likely to die before their first birthday than white infants. The number frames two complicated questions: why the disparity and how to eliminate it?


Author Tyler Smith | Publish Date January 09, 2019
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Colorado School of Public Health In the News

Colorado Public Radio

State launches first-ever firearm data dashboard meant to help Coloradans better understand gun violence, prevention

news outletColorado Public Radio
Publish DateFebruary 26, 2024

Beyond mass shootings, which generate a lot of media and public attention, gun deaths have steadily increased in Colorado for more than a decade, according to the state health department and reflected on the dashboard. During that time, state leaders and community advocates have worked to fight the trend. Now they’re turning to a new avenue — a public health approach to gun violence prevention. 

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The Denver Post

CDC chops $5 million in funding to Colorado research center working with local public health groups

news outletThe Denver Post
Publish DateFebruary 23, 2024

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention plans to end its funding for a Colorado center that helps local public health organizations get their programs off the ground and prove they work. Colorado’s Democratic members of Congress sent a letter to the director of the CDC this week asking that the agency reconsider cutting funding to the Rocky Mountain Prevention Research Center.

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Colorado Public Radio

Can Colorado teachers feel more prepared for school emergencies?

news outletColorado Public Radio
Publish DateFebruary 21, 2024

Between reading, writing, and arithmetic, there are also disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and acts of violence at schools. While school districts have security and drills for these events, educators often have unanswered questions and are left feeling anxious and overwhelmed. Two Anschutz researchers wanted to change that, starting with gathering school staff’s ideas and addressing their questions about safety.

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CSU Source

What do your blood test results mean? A toxicologist explains the basics of how to interpret them

news outletCSU Source
Publish DateFebruary 07, 2024

As a toxicologist, Brad Reisfeld, a ColoradoSPH professor at CSU, studies the effects of drugs and environmental contaminants on human health. As part of his work, he relies on various health-related biomarkers, many of which are measured using conventional blood tests. Understanding what common blood tests are intended to measure can help you better interpret the results.

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