Environmental Health Disparities: How Can We Seek Environmental & Health Equity Across Human Communities?

Dr. Catherine Zeman's presentation delves into the intricate relationship between environmental factors and health outcomes, particularly focusing on disparities across human communities. By analyzing trends in U.S. lifespan and healthcare expenditures, Dr. Zeman highlights the divergent pathways experienced by different racial/ethnic groups. She underscores the impact of neighborhood characteristics, such as income levels and educational attainment, on health outcomes, emphasizing the increased risk of chronic diseases and limited access to healthcare services in disadvantaged areas.

Creative Practice for Social Change

John Early will share images from his studio art practice while discussing projects that engage deeply with the cultural and social landscapes of various communities. Through his site-based work, he explores issues of spatial injustice, urban renewal, and community identity. By addressing topics like the anti-Black racism underlying the absence of basketball courts in St. Louis’s Forest Park and the human toll of urban renewal in the St. Louis Place neighborhood, Early's work highlights the importance of understanding and respecting diverse cultural perspectives.

Examining How Christian Faith Communities Become & Live Out Being Open & Inclusive to the LGBTQIA+ Community

In this event, Dr. Todd will present research about the process some Christian faith communities engage in to become and then live out being open and inclusive to the LGBTQIA+ community. There will be a broad discussion on historic context and research focused on the intersections of religious and LGBTQIA+ identities. He will discuss a movement within Protestant Christianity to create LGBTQIA+ open and inclusive faith communities. Dr. Todd will discuss his ongoing project “Becoming and Being Open and Inclusive Faith Communities” where he has interviewed over 70 people across the U.S.