2021 Leadership Summit Series Comes To An End

By Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science,

On November 16, the 2021 CDU Leadership Summit came to a conclusion with the last event of the four-part series on Health Equity and Social Justice.

The event centered on “Racial Equity and Social Justice: The Intersection of Corporate Responsibility and Racial Equity.” The final 2021 summit featured an intriguing conversation with Marvin O’Quinn, President and COO of CommonSpirit Health and also included special guests.

Martha Santana-Chin, Medi-Cal President at Health Net; Jennifer Radin, Founding Partner, Deloitte Health Equity Institute; Marcia Choo, former Vice-President of Community Relations for Wells Fargo; and Mr. Rickey Minor, world-renowned music producer, composer and musician were all on hand as panelists for the lively discussion moderated by CDU President and CEO Dr. David Carlisle.

The overall four-part Leadership Summit series facilitated important conversation with and between important thought-leaders about what is needed to address inequities affecting people of color while looking to develop solutions and introduce strategies to these problems.

The CDU Leadership Summit has served as a catalyst to align local and national leaders in health, education, social justice, corporate responsibility, and philanthropy.

The 2021 series was launched at the 6th Annual President’s Breakfast in March 2021 and was followed up by events in June and September before closing out with this event in November.

This final event of the year put a specific focus on the role and responsibility corporations can have in supporting and advancing social equity in general, and health equity in particular.

“All companies must be mindful to wield their various impacts – economic, social, and environmental – in a responsible way that is not solely focused on shareholders,” noted Dr. Carlisle during the event’s opening remarks. “It’s typically easy to focus on the most obvious facet of a problem or a challenge, but there are often many meaningful ways to frame and apply concepts of racial equity.”

Dr. Carlisle wrapped up the event, which was co-presented by Blue Shield California Promise Health Plan and Deloitte, among others, by thanking all attendees and participants from across all four events in the 2021 series.

“This has really been a thoughtful series of important conversations,” concluded Dr. Carlisle.