Welcome Remarks: Rebecca Villarreal, Kresge Foundation
Keynote Speaker: Jason Purnell, Assistant Professor, Washington University in St. Louis and creator of the For the Sake of All project
Closing Remarks: Bobbie Laur, Executive Director, CUMU and Charles Rutheiser, Annie E. Casey Foundation
The 2017 conference wraps up with a final closing luncheon plenary featuring Dr. Jason Purnell, whose work is focused on health equity, poverty, and the power of data and community-wide commitment to address these challenges. Purnell is the creator of the
For the Sake of All project, which focuses on improving the health of all people by eliminating racial inequities in the St. Louis region.
For the Sake of All: Improving health and well-being in St. Louis post-Ferguson
The St. Louis region became the focus of international attention after the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in the suburban town of Ferguson in August of 2014. Just months before, Jason Purnell led a team of researchers from Washington University and Saint Louis University that partnered with the community to produce For the Sake of All: A Report on the Health and Well-Being of African Americans in St. Louis—and Why It Matters for Everyone. It not only documented the racial disparities in education, economic status, and health that had long plagued the St. Louis region, but also pointed to solutions for coordinated action to address them. It was a key source for the Ferguson Commission appointed by Missouri’s governor to uncover the underlying social and economic factors leading to protests and unrest. Learn more about the report and the ambitious cross-sector, collaborative work that has emerged from it to make St. Louis a region that works for the sake of all.