Addressing Health Issues through Community Empowerment

D. Rashaan Gilmore, 2020 winner of the RWJF Award for Health Equity, discusses systems change with Jacinta Gauda of The Gauda Group at Grayling. Rashaan, who founded BlaqOut Inc., speaks about his efforts to help engage and empower the Black queer and trans community in Kansas City, Missouri. Rashaan used innovative approaches to improve access to health care. Rashaan’s approach to building equity within the community starts with his adamant belief in the capability and resilience of those within the community and the essential need for systems change. In this conversation, Rashaan describes BlaqOut’s Vision 2020 Study, a research model that captured the needs of the community directly from the community and the BlaqOut Ball, an annual community event which provides an effective way to promote testing and deliver critical health information.

Conversations With the Winners is a video series featuring one-on-one interviews with each of the 2020 award winners of the RWJF Award for Health Equity. Rashaan was selected by AIDS United to be honored with this award that recognizes and celebrates individuals who have changed systems and policies to move the nation toward health equity.

Learn more about the RWJF Award for Health Equity at www.rwjf.org/equityaward.

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