Marches across the country highlighting racial inequality and calling for change have merged with COVID-19 dynamics. Understandably so. COVID-19, as the Mayor of Atlanta, Keisha Lance Bottoms put it, "is killing black and brown people." The disease's disproportionate effect on minorities and people living in poverty - which are often one and the same - has added fuel to the justifiable outrage over police misconduct and the murder of George Floyd and others.
African Americans are under-represented in the health care industry, which has fueled jobs growth over the last decade and provides middle class incomes to millions of people. Research resources have mostly bypassed conditions that disproportionately affect minorities like hypertension, diabetes and kidney disease - conditions that increase threat of death from COVID-19. Unlike that other pillar of professionalism in American culture, the practice of law, the health care industry has done little to recruit and train African Americans to overcome the inherent biases from decades of segregation.
Change, however, is in the air. The status quo is unsustainable.
On these and other topics, Marcus Whitney has an opinion. Please join us for what will be an important conversation.
About Marcus Whitney: Marcus Whitney is CEO of Health:Further, a strategic advisory firm working with leading healthcare organizations to navigate disruptive change; as well as Founding Partner of Jumpstart Health Investors, the most active venture capital firm in America focused on innovative, healthcare companies with a portfolio of over 100 companies.Marcus is also co-founder and minority owner of Major League Soccer team, Nashville Soccer Club. Marcus has been listed in the Upstart 100 by Upstart Business Journal, Power 100 by Nashville Business Journal, and has been featured in Inc., Techcrunch, Fast Company and The Atlantic. Marcus is the author of the upcoming book Create and Orchestrate, about claiming your Creative Power through entrepreneurship. Marcus is also the producer and host of Marcus Whitney LIVE, an interview show live-streamed M-F 12 Central on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter and Twitch, and Marcus Whitney’s Audio Universe, a podcast on all major platforms. Marcus is a member of the board of the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum, the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation, Instruction Partners and an Arts Commissioner for the city of Nashville.
Emily Evans
Managing Director – Health Policy
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