Release Date: April 25,2023
Mayor Horrigan to Host 7th Annual Health Equity Summit on May 17
Akron, Ohio, April 25, 2023 — Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan will host his 7th Annual Health Equity Summit at the John S. Knight Center, on May 17 from 9:00am-4:00pm. This year’s Summit will discuss issues such as gun violence, suicide awareness, mental health, youth opportunity, and more. Additionally, during the Summit, the City plans to release the Youth Violence Intervention & Prevention Strategic Plan to reduce the number of violent crimes committed by Akron youth ages 13-24.
Each year, the Health Equity Summit brings together healthcare leaders and workers, employers, social service agencies, grass roots groups, and citizen advocates to discuss tackling racial disparities in healthcare and finding equitable solutions to help those who have been historically disenfranchised.
“This year’s Summit will focus on systemic racism’s effects on mental health, youth violence intervention and prevention, and continuing collaboration to enhance healthcare for our underserved communities,” said Mayor Horrigan. “This annual summit has grown and evolved each year and I’m proud to once again bring this important event to the Akron community.”
The featured keynote speaker is Juard Barnes, Senior Advisor for Communities of Practice at The Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (The HAVI). He has nearly 40 years of experience as a community builder and violence prevention specialist helping organizations and cities nationwide to achieve community safety. Specializing in advocacy, training, and Technical Assistance in the CVI Ecosystem, Juard recently served as a lead for the White House Community Violence Intervention Collaborative, helping to create powerful CVI leadership for 16 jurisdictions nationwide.
A full schedule of speakers and discussions will be released in the coming weeks.
Registration for the Health Equity Summit is free and available here. This year’s Summit will take place at the John S. Knight Center. Attendees will be served complimentary breakfast and lunch. There are a limited number of seats available.
This year’s Health Equity Summit is generously supported by Summit ADM Board, Cleveland Clinic Akron General, and Summit County Public Health.