The Andrea Harris Social, Economic, Environmental, and Health Equity Task Force
About Andrea Harris
A native North Carolinian, the late Andrea Harris was a trailblazer for minority businesses and communities. A graduate of Bennett College, Harris became one of the youngest community agency directors in the nation, helping fight poverty across three rural North Carolina communities. An unwavering passion to help others in need, she co-founded the NC Institute of Minority Economic Development in 1986, where she served as president in 1990. Located in the heart of Durham, the Institute supports minority and women-owned businesses. After retiring from the Institute, Harris continued to serve on several boards including the state's Advisory Council for Historically Underutilized Businesses, where she was appointed in 2017. She is a recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the highest award for state service granted by the Office of the Governor as well as an honorary doctorate from her alma mater, Bennett College.
December 2020 Biannual Report
2020 Policy Recommendations
How You Can Comment On Proposed Subcommittee Recommendations
Additional public comment sessions will be announced in the future and North Carolinians can also make their voices heard by submitting written comments via the form below.
Task Force Public Feedback Form
About the Task Force
Purpose
Established under Executive Order No. 143, the Andrea Harris Social, Economic, Environmental, and Health Equity Task Force addresses the social, environmental, economic, and health disparities in communities of color disproportionally impacted by COVID-19. The Task Force is named in honor of the late civil rights activist, Andrea Harris, who dedicated her life to eliminating disparities in North Carolina, co-founding the non-profit Institute of Minority Economic Development in Durham and serving on the state’s Advisory Council for Historically Underutilized Businesses. The five focus areas of the Task Force are:
- Access to Healthcare
- Economic Opportunity and Business Development
- Educational Opportunity
- Environmental Justice and Inclusion
- Patient Engagement
Read the full press release announcing the Task Force here.
Goal
To create economic stability, eliminate health disparities, and achieve environmental justice in North Carolina.
Guiding Principles
Put People First
North Carolina’s citizens are our greatest asset. As a subset of our communities remain underserved and with less access to resources and opportunity, it inhibits our ability to ensure that our citizens, and our State, reach their full potential.
Ensure Sustainability of Efforts
COVID-19 has shed light on economic and health disparities in North Carolina. However, once we are past COVID-19, we must ensure that we continue to build towards, and maintain, a system that provides more equal and stable access to economic opportunities and healthcare.
Make Efforts Adaptable to Change and Scalable to Needs
As we learn more about COVID-19, and any other challenges we may face, we must ensure that North Carolina’s policies are structured to adjust to new information and challenges. In addition, any efforts undertaken must be scalable to manage increased needs over time.
Ensure Transparency and Accountability
Providing full information regarding efforts and their effectiveness lends itself towards ensuring that human and economic capital are best utilized to achieve relevant goals.
Objectives
The Task Force will focus on the following areas:
1. Access to healthcare for underserved communities.
- Monitor and report best practices to increase access to telehealth and broadband internet-based medical treatment;
- Monitor and report whether North Carolinians have adequate insurance coverage in responding to COVID-19 and managing underlying health conditions; and
- Assess application of the "Medical Home" approach to providing comprehensive, family-centered, and culturally competent care that meets the social, cultural, and linguistic needs of all North Carolinians.
2. Enhanced patient engagement in healthcare settings.
- Encourage medical professionals to engage communities of color to gather information and provide a platform for transparency and inclusion;
- Support and identify opportunities to increase the number of minority health professionals servicing communities of color; and
- Encourage increased cultural competence in the provision of care for communities of color.
3. Economic opportunities in business development and employment.
- Assess and report ways the state may further support historically underutilized businesses;
- Advance economic recovery by prioritizing actions that create quality employment opportunities for the North Carolina workforce;
- Assess and report opportunities for organizational capability and capacity building; and
- Prioritize workforce development across all sectors (including healthcare workforce development).
4. Environmental Justice and Inclusion.
- Enhance public engagement and increase public participation by low income, minority communities in Department decisions and actions;
- Quantify health and welfare benefits of pollution reduction and identify opportunities to increase the deployment of clean energy resources;
- Advance climate justice by prioritizing actions that equitably reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase community resilience to the impacts of climate change, and advance sustainable economic and infrastructure recovery efforts for low-income, minority and vulnerable communities; and
- Encourage and enhance environmental justice, inclusion and equity education.
5. Create educational opportunities for communities of color in the following areas:
- Health literacy;
- Financial literacy; and
- General academia.
- In addition, the Task Force shall make recommendations on strategies to increase funding for health education in community centers servicing vulnerable communities.
Learn More About Executive Order 143
Executive Order 143 addresses the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color. View and download the executive order here.
Meet the Members of the Task Force
Member Name | Professional Affiliations | County |
---|---|---|
In July 2020 Machelle Sanders was appointed Chair of the Andrea Harris Task Force while serving as Secretary of the NC Department of Administration. In 2021, Sanders was appointed Secretary of the NC Department of Commerce. | ||
Access to Healthcare Subcommittee | Subcommittee Chair: Dr. Giselle Corbie-Smith | ||
Dr. Giselle Corbie-Smith |
Kenan Distinguished Professor of Social Medicine, UNC-Chapel Hill Director, UNC Center for Health Equity Research Professor of Internal Medicine, UNC-Chapel Hill |
Orange |
Dr. Catherine Harvey Sevier |
Managing Director, The Generations Study Group, LLC Adjunct Professor of Public Health, UNC-Greensboro |
Guilford |
Andres Henao |
Member, Governor's Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs Manager, Triangle Implant Center |
Orange |
Rep. Donny Lambeth | Representative, North Carolina 75th District | Forsyth |
Dr. Viviana Martinez-Bianchi | Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health, Duke University | Durham |
Benjamin Money | Deputy Secretary for Health Services, NC Department of Health and Human Services | Wake |
Dr. Carlos Rish | Owner and Medical Director, Centro Médico Latino | Mecklenburg |
Annette Taylor |
Member, NC Council for Women Advisory Board Minority Business & Community Affairs Manager, NC Education Lottery Adjunct Professor, NC Central University |
Wake |
Economic Opportunity & Business Development | Subcommittee Chair: Rep. Yvonne Holley | ||
Walter David Baucom |
Senior VP, MAL Entertainment President and CEO of Baucom Group & Associates |
Mecklenburg |
Lynn Bottone | Vice President of Biotech Operations, Pfizer | Wake |
Adriana Chavela |
Member, Governor's Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs Founder/Executive Director, Hola Community Arts |
Buncombe |
Rep. Yvonne Holley | Representative, North Carolina 38th District | Wake |
Dale Jenkins | CEO, Curi Holdings, Inc. | Wake |
C.C. Lambeth |
Chair, Governor's Advisory Council for Historically Underutilized Businesses Owner and CEO, C2 Contractors, LLC |
Guilford |
Stephanie McGarrah | Executive Director, NC Pandemic Recovery Office | Durham |
Kevin J. Price | President and CEO, The NC Institute of Minority Economic Development | Durham |
Trey Rabon | President, AT&T North Carolina | Wake |
Educational Opportunities | Subcommittee Chair: Pat Martinez | ||
Dr. Lenora Campbell | Dean, College of Health and Human Sciences, NC A&T State University | Guilford |
Pat Martinez |
Member, Governor's Commission on Inclusion President and CEO, Leadership in the Clouds |
Mecklenburg |
Quinny Sanchez | MSW | Health Care Access, Stakeholder Engagement, Community Outreach | Union |
Margaret Weller-Stargell |
Chair, NC Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services Waiver Advisory Committee President and CEO, Coastal Horizons Center |
New Hanover |
Environmental Justice and Inclusion | Subcommittee Chair: | ||
Rev. Dr. Jonathan Augustine |
Senior Pastor, St. Joseph African Methodist Episcopal Church Author, "Environmental Justice in the Deep South," University of San Francisco Law Review 2013 |
Durham |
Dr. James H. Johnson Jr. |
Chair, NC Department of Environmental Quality's Environmental Justice and Equity Advisory Board William R. Kenan Distinguished Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship and Director of the Urban Investment Strategies Center, UNC Kenan-Flager Business School |
Orange |
Greg Richardson | Executive Director, NC Commission of Indian Affairs | Wake |
Rev. Dr. Anthony Spearman | President, NC NAACP | Guilford |
Patient Engagement | Subcommittee Chair: Cornell Wright | ||
Dr. Cedric Bright | Associate Dean of Admissions, East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine | Pitt |
Dr. Rhett Brown | Medical Director for LGBTQ+ Health Services and Family Physician, Novant Health | Mecklenburg |
Yazmin Garcia Rico |
Director of Latinx and Hispanic Policy and Strategy, NC Department of Health and Human Services
|
Wake |
Dr. Charlene Green | Anesthesiology, Cone Health | Guilford |
Dr. Sonyia Richardson | Assistant Professor at the School of Social Work and BSW Program Director, UNC-Charlotte | Cabarrus |
Juvencio Rocha Peralta | Executive Director and Founder, Association of Mexicans in NC (AMEXCAN) | Pitt |
Gene Woods | President and CEO, Atrium Health | Mecklenburg |
Cornell Wright | Director, NC Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities | Wake |
Support the Work of the Task Force
Members of the public who are interested in supporting the work of one of the Task Force subcommittees can fill out a survey to indicate interest here.
Proposed Recommendations by the Task Force Subcommittees
Recommendations:
Executive Order No. 143 states that, “By December 1, 2020, and every six (6) months thereafter, the Task Force shall provide to the Office of the Governor a status report on the progress and recommendations made in the focus areas determined by Section 1 of this Executive Order.”
The initiatives highlighted below are not official recommendations made by the Task Force. In an attempt to remain transparent in its scope of work, the Task Force invites members of the public to comment on the potential areas for action highlighted below:
Access to Healthcare:
- Increase access to broadband and telemedicine in North Carolina, particularly, in rural counties and communities of color.
- Utilize the medical home approach in providing comprehensive family centered and culturally competent care that meets the social, cultural, and linguistic needs of all North Carolinians.
Economic Opportunity and Business Development:
- Increase utilization of Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs) for goods and services.
- Support workforce development programs and initiatives in the public and private sector.
Educational Opportunity:
- Host public virtual roundtables with physical medical professionals, mental health professionals, higher education leaders, and other relevant professionals.
Environmental Justice and Inclusion:
- Evaluate the feasibility and/or designate a permanent full-time position on Environmental Justice, Equity and Inclusion in the Department of Commerce, Department of Transportation, Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and at the Office of Emergency Management.
- Conduct an inventory on aging infrastructure and buildings (schools, senior centers, etc) that have exposure to radon, asbestos, mildew, mold, etc. and consider remediation projects of impacted facilities for job creation initiatives.
- Develop a legislative strategy: Additions/changes to statutes and rules to incorporate environmental Justice criteria into regulatory actions.
Patient Engagement:
- Identify the best cultural competency practices in health agencies across North Carolina via survey and implement a uniform training across the state.
- Create or sponsor an initiative (or policies) that requires data collection to cover all demographics (race, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, etc.).
Task Force & Subcommittee Meeting Dates
The Andrea Harris Task Force, established by Executive Order 143 shall meet
bi-monthly for the duration of the State of Emergency, and quarterly thereafter.
Date | Time | Meeting |
---|---|---|
Janauary 13, 2021 | 10 am - 12:30 pm | Task Force Meeting |
January 27, 2021 | 10 am - 11 am | Subcommittee Meeting |
February 10, 2021 | 10 am - 12:30 pm | Task Force Meeting |
February 24, 2021 | 10 am - 11 am | Subcommittee Meeting |
March 10, 2021 | 10 am - 12:30 pm | Task Force Meeting |
March 24, 2021 | 10 am - 11 am | Subcommittee Meeting |
April 7, 2021 | 10 am - 12:30 pm | Task Force Meeting |
April 21, 2021 | 10 am - 11 am | Subcommittee Meeting |
May 4, 2021 | 10 am - 12:30 pm | Task Force Meeting |
May 26, 2021 | 10 am - 11 am | Subcommittee Meeting |
June 2, 2021 | 10 am - 12:30 pm | Task Force Meeting |
Meeting Information: Agendas, Minutes and Presentations
Task Force Meeting - April 7, 2021
Task Force Subcommittee Meetings - March 24 & 25, 2021
- View a recording of the Environmental Justice and Inclusion Subcommittee meeting here.
- View a recording of the Patient Engagement Subcommittee meeting here.
Task Force Meeting - March 10, 2021
- Agenda
- Meeting Minutes
- View a recording of the March 10 convening here.
Task Force Meeting - February 10, 2021
- Agenda
- Meeting Minutes
- View a recording of the February 10 convening here.
Task Force Subcommittee Meetings - January 27, 2021
- View a recording of the Environmental Justice and Inclusion Subcommittee meeting here.
Task Force Meeting - January 13, 2021
- Agenda
- Meeting Minutes
- View a recording of the January 13 convening here.
Task Force Meeting - December 2, 2020
- Agenda
- Meeting Minutes
- View a recording of the December 2 convening here.
Task Force Meeting - November 18, 2020
- Agenda
- Meeting Minutes
- View a recording of the November 18 convening here.
Task Force Subcommittee Meetings - November 4, 2020
- View a recording of the Environmental Justice and Inclusion Subcommittee meeting here.
Task Force Subcommittee Meetings - October 21, 2020
- View a recording of the Access to Healthcare Subcommittee meeting here.
- View a recording of the Environmental Justice and Inclusion Subcommittee meeting here.
- View a recording of the Patient Engagement Subcommittee meeting here.
Task Force Meeting - October 7, 2020
- Agenda
- Meeting Minutes
- View a recording of the October 7 convening here.
- View the NC Broadband and Telehealth Presentation here.
- View the NC Medicaid & Telehealth in a Pandemic Presentation here.
Task Force Listening Session - September 22, 2020
- View a recording of the listening session on topics concerning access to healthcare, economic opportunity and business development, educational opportunity and patient engagement here.
- View a recording of the listening session on topic concerning environmental justice and inclusion here.
Task Force Subcommittee Meetings - September 16, 2020
- View a recording of the Environmental Justice and Inclusion Subcommittee meeting here.
Task Force Meeting - September 2, 2020
Task Force Subcommittee Meeting - August 27, 2020
- View a recording of the Economic Opportunity and Business Development Subcommittee meeting here.
Task Force Subcommittee Meetings - August 19, 2020
- View a recording of the Access to Healthcare Subcommittee meeting here.
- View a recording of the Educational Opportunities Subcommittee meeting here.
- View a recording of the Environmental Justice and Inclusion Subcommittee meeting here.
- View a recording of the Patient Engagement Subcommittee meeting here.
Inaugural Task Force Meeting - August 5, 2020
Task Force Listening Sessions
Listening Sessions
Members of the Task Force Subcommittees announced initial proposals to improve disparities in communities of color disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. View proposed recommendations here.
How You Can Comment On Proposed Subcommittee Recommendations
Additional public comment sessions will be announced in the future and North Carolinians can also make their voices heard by submitting written comments via the form below.
Task Force Public Feedback Form
Listening sessions were held September 22 and 29, 2020 on the Task Force's five core areas. Missed a session? View recorded listening sessions below.
Listening Sessions | ||
---|---|---|
Date | September 22, 2020 | September 29, 2020 |
Agenda | Meeting Agenda | Meeting Agenda |
Topic(s) |
Access to Healthcare* Economic Opportunity and Business Development Educational Opportunity Patient Engagement* |
Environmental Justice and Inclusion |
Missed the session? | Watch the September 22, 2020 listening session here. | Watch the September 29, 2020 listening session here. |
* - This topic was originally scheduled for the September 15 listening session, which was cancelled. The listening session schedule was modified to include two dates, September 22 and 29. Topics originally scheduled for September 15 were featured during the September 22 listening session. Thank you! |
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