SOMHEI Message from the Chair

Welcome to the Section on Minority Health, Equity and Inclusion (SOMHEI)! Thanks for your interest. We are glad you stopped by to learn more. As a new Section, this is an exciting and important time and we will absolutel​​y depend on our members! We will look to our members to get involved and lead, and to let us know how we can bette​​r serve you, our patients, and the AAP at-large.​

The Section on Minority Health Equity and Inclusion was founded to help advance health equity by addressing the soci​al determinants affecting minority child health and by promoting greater inclusion and diversity in the pediatric workforce. The Section’s mission is:
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To lead AAP efforts in promo​ting minority health, equity, and inclusion by focusing on:​​​

• ​​Advocacy​
• ​Creating safe spaces and support networks​
• ​​Educating pediatric providers, and​
• Supporting scholarly work and evidence based strategies to address health equity​​​​​

The Section serves as a forum for members to discuss the challenges impacting minority children and their health care providers. We hope to provide resources to help address those unique needs and will promote and celebrate diversity in pediatric medicine and within the AAP. We hope this will serve you well and help all of us better serve our patients.

There is much work to be done to and we hope you will consider helping us in that effort. Please tell your AAP friends and colleagues about us and encourage them to join, as well!

Onwards and Upwards,

Nia Heard-Garris, MD, MSc, FAAP
Chairperson, Section on Minority, Health, Equity and Inclusio​​n​