On this episode of The Intersection podcast, host Anton Gunn talks to Aija Nemer-Aanerud (People’s Action Institute) and Lindsey Muniak (Debt Collective)––two changemakers helping people access the healthcare they need without falling into debt. They discuss strategies that organizations can use to help those facing debt, protect the safety net, advocate for a more equitable system, and understand the importance of working inside and outside of institutions to find common ground in health equity efforts. 

The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Foundation does not support lobbying efforts, including any activities or communications referenced during this podcast.

What happens when millions of people currently enrolled in Medicaid risk losing their coverage? Host Anton Gunn is joined by Deanna Williams and Laura Colbert (Georgians for a Healthy Future), Jennifer Flynn Walker (Popular Democracy), and Stan Dorn (UnidosUS) to explore strategies for navigating the Medicaid enrollment crisis.

They discuss approaches to prevent coverage gaps, barriers facing people with disabilities, how local organizations can scale efforts statewide, and harnessing the power of communications and storytelling.

The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Foundation does not support lobbying efforts, including any activities or communications referenced during this podcast.

From funding cuts to conflicting federal and local priorities, public health is facing new and old challenges. Healthcare advocates need support as they strive to establish anti-racist health systems amid a rapidly evolving landscape.

What is it like right now to work in public health? How can we address communities’ needs in real-time? Anne Carter (Linn County (IA) Public Health), Shelina Davis (Louisiana Public Health Institute), and Lili Farhang (Health in Partnership) talk with host Anton Gunn about the current situation and strategies to safeguard public health, including how organizations can stabilize funding and collaborate to tackle community health priorities.

The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Foundation does not support lobbying efforts, including any activities or communications referenced during this podcast.

Midwives? Doulas? Lactation Consultants? Obstetricians? The choice should be yours. All reproductive health professionals should have a shared vision: providing compassionate and patient-centered reproductive care that doesn't discriminate.

Star August Ali (Black Midwifery Collective) and Cassaundra Jah (National Association of Certified Professional Midwives) join host Anton Gunn to discuss the U.S. health system's racist past that nearly erased traditional midwifery and current state and federal advocacy efforts to support midwifery care. The panel also reimagines what honest relationships between midwives and obstetric providers could look like in a vulnerable healthcare system and shares real examples of those already doing the work.

The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Foundation does not support lobbying efforts, including any activities or communications referenced during this podcast.

From the right to decide, to the right to thrive, reproductive justice champions are advocating to ensure people have the option to have—or not have—children, and the ability to raise them in safe and sustainable communities.

Jamarah Amani (Southern Birth Justice Network), Chanel Porchia-Albert (JustBirth Space), and Leseiley Welch (Birth Center Equity) join host Anton Gunn to break down the topic of birth equity and share how their own birth experiences have motivated their work.

The panel unpacks the power of reproductive choice, the realities of working in this space, and how hospital systems can build meaningful relationships with communities to empower people before and after delivery.

The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The landscape for those working in the field diversity, equity and inclusion is rapidly changing.

Host Anton Gunn talks with Giridhar Mallya from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Kathryn Haines from Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, and Loren Robinson from CHRISTUS Health about educating people on what DEI is—and isn’t—and how to navigate threats to health equity. And each shares a personal story about their DEI commitment.

The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Anton Gunn chats with advocacy and healthcare partners from Houston about how to measure progress and report success.

In this episode, Melanie McGuire (Houston Food Bank), Shreela Sharma (University of Texas School of Public Health), and Esperanza Galvan (Harris Health) share how they measure the impact of their equity collaboration—and how others can model their efforts.

The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Data analysis is a powerful tool people inside and outside of healthcare can use to identify health disparities, inform research initiatives, and build organizational trust and accountability.

In this conversation, the panel explores how healthcare advocates, both in community and within health systems, can harness data to improve health outcomes. Kimberly Alexander (Greensboro Health Disparities Collaborative), Dawn Godbolt (Maven Clinic), and Sam Cykert (University of North Carolina School of Medicine) share their journeys into data work, the importance of qualitative data in capturing the stories of community and understanding their unique needs, and tips on how to secure funding for data analysis.

The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.