Join Wayne State University School of Medicine students and community partners for a June 19 symposium that reimagines health care and the role of the physician-leader in addressing health disparities in Detroit.

“Healing Between the Lines: Equi-D, Reimagining a Healthy Detroit Together” will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. via Zoom. The symposium is the culmination of the School of Medicine’s Healing Between the Lines program, a newly incorporated sub-curriculum of the School of Medicine’s longitudinal Health Equity and Justice in Medicine program.

Supported with a $10,000 grant from the Association of American Medical Colleges, Healing Between the Lines seeks to stem racial disparities through reimagined medical education. The program educates medical students and residents about the historical intersection of systemic racism and health by exploring and untangling the impact of redlining – systemic denial of services – on the health of Detroit communities, and through community-led advocacy, trains them to strategically utilize their voices and expertise in collaboration with Detroit community partners to fight against the present-day manifestations of historical systemic injustice.

The June 19 symposium is the culmination of a collaboration between students and government and community partners. During the last five months, WSU medical students and physicians worked with community activists and organizers and grassroot organizations to reimagine systems built with the health of Detroit at their core. Medical students, physicians and partners formed four cohorts known as justice circles and identified four priority areas for policy-based interventions:

Eastside Community Network – Air pollution justice

Community Development Advocates of Detroit, Brilliant Detroit, HOPE Village Revitalization – Transportation access justice

FORCE Detroit – Carceral inmate justice

We the People Michigan – Sexual and reproductive health education justice 

Policy recommendations will be presented to stakeholders and decision-makers during the symposium.

Event highlights include:

A high-level curriculum overview with an introduction to community and government partners and the student cohort

A video recap of Healing Between the Lines featuring program partners and community members

Presentations by student and community partners

Celebration and acknowledgement of the collaboration required to create health equity and a just system of care

Keynote speaker Donna Givens Davidson, a native Detroiter and president and chief executive officer of the Eastside Community Network

A dance performance by House of Jit

The agenda:

9 to 9:30 a.m.: Mindfulness opening, introductions, a video showcase of Detroit community health autonomy and interviews of Detroiters.

9:45 a.m. to noon: Presentation of the four topics and policy proposals, question-and-answer session.

Noon to 1 p.m.: Lunch, Jit dance lesson and House of Jit performance.

1 to 1:45 p.m.: Keynote speaker Donna Givens Davidson.

1:45 to 2 p.m.: Detroit - Healing by Choice, meditation for social justice work.

Register here for the symposium, which is free.

Visit here for more information on Healing Between the Lines.