Dear GenUnity Partners,

The violence of this past weekend was yet another reminder of the inequities that continue to harm our communities. As we process our own emotions, we are drawing inspiration from our members. With each discussion, members push past resignation to find resolve and resilience. A few members captured this poignantly:

• “I think something not talked about is…motivation or ability to continue on in the face of teensy incremental change, having to make difficult compromises, and longevity. When I think of enacting change I am usually overwhelmed by the scale and scope and also I find continued and sustained motivation difficult as I can barely manage life now let alone when there’s something huge on the table. That is the important part of joining an organization//group so that people can pick up the slack when you are unable to continue on”
• “My ability to advocate for myself and others, along with knowledge of each community I am a member of keeps me in a position of power. It took me a long time to realize that I am always the one who holds the power that is aligned with my life. I continue to build [it] every day by making new connections.”
• “I've also often felt an aversion to the term "power". In many contexts, the term can be used to represent problematic dynamics and systems that are inextricably linked to oppression and inequity. When I move from reactivity to vision, power becomes synonymous with harnessing vitality, collaboration, and connection. Relationships and connections are expressions and manifestations of power. Working across disciplines, listening deeply to others, sharing authentically are all sources of fuel. They are not preparation for life but life itself.“

Below, we are excited to share more highlights from our members completing the third step in our Health Equity community leadership program, the Power Module! In the next few weeks, our members will develop their action plans as part of the Change Module, and we invite you to join our virtual Program Celebration on June 1st to learn more. If you haven't received a calendar invite yet, please let us know so we can add you!

In partnership,

The GenUnity Team

What is the Power Module?

Building on their understanding of the health equity challenges people are experiencing in our communities (People Module) and how the services our systems provide to address those needs (System Module), our members began exploring how power structures have shaped the status quo. Members collectively invested over 150 hours in dialogue and discussion with our 12 community partners ranging from Secretary Marylou Sudders and Senator Cindy Friedman to MassLeague and Asian Women for Health. Members started to unpack how policy and funding decisions are made and who has influence over those decisions.

What did our members learn?

We are excited to be able to share a few of the reflections members shared with us from their Power Module learning experiences.

• Distinguishing between programs and systemic change
  • “One statement that…that stuck out to me was that health equity initiatives fail because they are focused on programs rather than systemic and structural change. After this module, I'm considering my own experiences with trust within medical systems and how those with power need to earn the trust of their patients.”
  • “If our leaders…took the time to understand the various groups of people they serve, I think we would have a more inclusive medical system with better outcomes.”
• Power is not divided equally…
  • “I think that the frustrating thing is that power is divided unequally in MA. The staff talked about when Leaders Mariano or Spilka aren't for a bill, it won't make it to the floor to be voted on. But the lack of public transparency makes it hard for the public to know that. I wish the State House recognized that the landscape has shifted and the public is more engaged, so they need to change the culture of the Legislature. Bills need to be voted on, not tabled indefinitely.”
  • “Both of my Power meetings were with organizations that were involved in politics and legislature in the state. This was really eye opening since I knew almost nothing about how this field works or how decisions get made. It seems like almost all of the "power" rests in political decisions. From what I've learned, it sounds like in MA individuals may have slightly more power to bring some of the issues that affect them in front of political parties, but it seems like companies and political parties hold most of the power.”
• …but everyone has some power to push for positive change
  • “I do think power rests in the individual often, but whether that comes to fruition or not depends on their proximity to power initially, their access to resources, and various systemic inequalities such as racism/sexism/etc.”
  • “I think that I (constituents/public) do have power or play a role in this process…I can be more aware of what bills are being pushed through in a legislative session. Many orgs prepare letters with blanks that can be sent in to committees like the Mental Health/Substance Abuse committee or to an elected leader. These letters do matter, I know from experience.”
  • “Myself working for a major Massachusetts health plan, I have the ability to metaphorically pull levers internally to help influence where money is spent and which issues the company can promote visibility to. If [my company] were to raise awareness and sponsor a new local policy, they can use their status and position of power to further advance this. It’s as if it were a major domino effect where one person can make a change and influence the pieces that may follow suit…I believe any individual can hold a position of power. These may vary based on scale and where the power lies, but I do believe that just one person can have an impact based on their influence.”
  • “I attended the Asian Women for Health discussion with Chien-Chi Huang. She's a wonderful example of a motivated advocate with personal experience directly driving her desire to influence and support others. I was pretty amazed at how she was able to first form her organization, then grow it to the size it is now, making connections with other local groups and expanding to beyond just Asian women.”
• We can build power by building community
  • “I think we put too much emphasis on what bylaws and doctrines say should be happening and not enough on what is actually taking place. Those who have power share with those they deem equal. This keeps the power in their own network. A community has no idea about the power each member holds. My ability to advocate for myself and others, along with knowledge of each community I am a member of keeps me in a position of power. It took me a long time to realize that I am always the one who holds the power that is aligned with my life. I continue to build every day by making new connections. Through advocacy I am able to teach others how to tap into their own power as a way to build up their community.”
  • “I've also often felt an aversion to the term "power". In many contexts, the term can be used to represent problematic dynamics and systems that are inextricably linked to oppression and inequity. When I move from reactivity to vision, power becomes synonymous with harnessing vitality, collaboration, and connection. Relationships and connections are expressions and manifestations of power. Working across disciplines, listening deeply to others, sharing authentically are all sources of fuel. They are not preparation for life but life itself.”
  • “A running theme throughout this [program] has been proximity to the issues. Having first hand experience shapes not only the work but also the response and ways in which an individual tends to constraints and unpacks their personal experiences. No matter the role it is important and necessary to always ask questions to understand alignment with others who are surrounding you and to be able to prioritize and make decisions.”
  • “As a non-profit, she can speak with a hospital or insurance leader and then to a state rep and use that information…to further the bill [they are] attempting to pass. She encouraged communication and discussion, recognizing that the bill may need to be tweaked to get everyone on board. It is possible to have a transparent conversation and still get substantive legislation passed”
• From community springs hope, vision, and resilience
  • “Yes we can vote but is that actually solving the problem? Is that just playing into these systems that are rooted in oppression and designed to give folks the illusion of choice and voice to make us feel better?...being able to go to these meetings with GenUnity has been such a source of hope for me”
  • “I value the reflective practice after meeting with external speakers as well as meeting with buddies on our off-days. After a couple of years of highly controlled interactions, it's been refreshing, emboldening, and heartening to connect with this cohort and affiliates.”
  • “Also I think something not talked about is like…..motivation or ability to continue on in the face of teensy incremental change, having to make difficult compromises, and longevity. When I think of enacting change I am usually overwhelmed by the scale and scope and also I find continued and sustained motivation difficult as I can barely manage life now let alone when there’s something huge on the table. That is the important part of joining an organization//group so that people can pick up the slack when you are unable to continue on”