Critical Futures

Dr. Arthur R. James is a retired Obstetrician, Gynecologist, and Pediatrician who has been involved in the care of underserved populations for the entirety of his medical career. He is a former member of the Health and Human Services Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality, and a former Associate Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Pediatrics at The Ohio State University and Nationwide Children’s Hospital. He is currently the Chair of the Faculty Planning Committee for NICHQ’s Technical Assistance for Healthy Start and he is the 2022 recipient of APHA’s Martha May Eliot Award. Much of his approach to improving clinical outcomes is informed by the experience of being the youngest of six children in a poor family from an inner city black community.

Highlighted Work:

• Award: 2022 Martha May Eliot Award from the American Public Health Association (APHA) for extraordinary health services to mothers and children
• Journal Article (Acknowledged as Contributor): “Accelerating Upstream Together; Achieving Infant Health Equity in the United States of America by 2030,” Pediatrics Perspectives

Johnnie (Chip) Allen is a public health expert with over 20 years of experience in addressing health equity issues at the local, state, and national levels. Mr. Allen works in partnership with communities, governmental agencies, and academic institutions to develop strategies, policies, and analyze data to improve the health of marginalized groups. He currently works as President/CEO of Health Equity Consulting where he provides health equity advice to national public health agencies and foundations.

Highlighted Work:

• Op-Ed: “Finding the Courage and Will to Achieve Health Equity: Asking the Right Questions,” Harvard Medical School Primary Care Review
• In-the-news: “Former equity chief accused Ohio Department of Health of ‘toxic’ and ‘discriminatory’ culture,” Ohio Capital Journal
• Presentation: “What Data Tell Us about COVID-19 in Racial and Ethnic Minority Communities,” US Department of Health & Human Services Office of Minority Health, Symposium on COVID-19 Response
• Research Article: “The Health Opportunity Index: Understanding the Input to Disparate Health Outcomes in Vulnerable and High-Risk Census Tracts,” Environmental Research and Public Health
• Research Article: “The NCHHSTP 2010–2015 Strategic Plan and the Pursuit of Health Equity: A Catalyst for Change and a Step in the Right Direction,” Public Health Reports
• Research Article: “Mask Up: Academic-Community-Government Partnerships to Advance Public Health During COVID-19,” Population Health Management

The Institute for Healing Justice & Equity (the Institute or IHJE) aims to eliminate disparities caused by systemic oppression and to improve individual and community health and well-being through systems change and deep community partnership. As part of these core goals, IHJE created a panel of content experts, community advocates, and organizations called the Anti-Racism Consortium. Each consortium member has a history of working to:

• develop and advocate for anti-racist health policy;
• address the root causes of health inequities; and
• develop programs and interventions that address multiple levels of medical racism, structural racism in health and the health care system.

In the Critical Futures podcast series, Consortium members describe their work and perspectives related to anti-racist health policy as well as structural racism in the healthcare system. These interviews are also conducted with a community partner that the members have worked alongside — with the goal of highlighting how to deeply work with community in a way that shares power and that moves us all towards liberation.