Our Conference Theme
Diana Peña Gonzalez
Health Literacy Education Director – Conference Organizer
Shining light on the work ahead
We often look for silver linings to move forward, a beacon of light to brighten the path ahead. Of course, after slogging through COVID-19, that’s easier said than done. Still, if pressed, we might discover one narrow sliver of silver. If nothing else, the pandemic unveiled rampant disparities. As the stigma prompting these disparities begins to shed, we have a unique opportunity to use health literacy practices to mitigate these challenges and make meaningful advancements toward health equity.
We better understand the scope of challenges: misinformation, racial inequity, under-resourced communities, to name a few. Plus, the landscape is changing … expanding. Once, our field was bound to the physical. Today, increasingly, we search for digital solutions.
Our role moving forward
As health literacy professionals, we are charged with eliminating exclusionary practices, misinformation, and systemic biases and barriers. We are entrusted with the responsibility of increasing access to technology and health services, sharing clear, scientific information, supporting better community learning, and so much more. But none of us has all the answers. We thrive when we share what we know, what works, and what doesn’t. Therein lies our strength. Therein lies success.
That success is fueled by interprofessional collaboration. We’re buoyed by our shared knowledge, insights, and experience. We’re made better by the influence of cultural diversity. We can and should celebrate the strength of our multi-cultural communities, which offer myriad approaches, insights, and strategies.
How this year’s conference can help
In advancing health literacy and equity, when we combine and focus our collective capacity, we’re not just formidable, we’re downright efficacious. This year’s conference harnesses that momentum. It explores how we can learn from one another to gain perspective, enhance our workforce, and deepen our dialogue. In doing so, we unearth creative health literacy approaches and strategies to meet our challenges, both current… and future.
Daily Topics:
- Gathering Insights From One Another – Fostering creativity, fresh perspectives, and understanding to broaden our practices.
- Building Our Skills and Honing Our Workforce – Sharpening skills to enhance our performance and contribute to our teams.
- Exploring the Richness of Diverse Communication Strategies – Exploring how culture and art help us transcend differences to actively engage in meaningful exchanges.