Description
Book SynopsisAdvocacy has become a key part of public health degree programs across the country. Many programs have added policy and advocacy courses into curricula in response to new emphases in accreditation requirements, yet few public health textbooks comprehensively cover the advocacy skills that health professionals need to effect change.Be the Change is an affordable introductory resource on public health advocacy, policy, and community organizing for both undergraduate and graduate students within the health and social sciences. Using a conversational and reader-friendly style, the authors draw on their experience as diverse advocates and practitioners in the field to synthesize the purpose, strategies, and tactics used in successful advocacy campaigns in public health. In each chapter, they highlight case studies of actual advocacy campaigns alongside concrete strategic recommendations for implementing change at the local, state, and federal levels. Full of useful stories and advice, Be the Change amplifies the important advocacy work happening around the United States, from traditional health organizations to grassroots community activists, and provides readers with the tools and inspiration to put advocacy into practice every day.
Trade ReviewFew people truly understand how policy shapes our health. In simple language, Be The Change helps practitioners understand this critical connection and provides them with strategies from real world success stories to determine where they can act most effectively. * Larry Cohen, Founder, Prevention Institute and author, Prevention Diaries *
A timely and practical playbook, Be the Change offers students the how-to skills for change-making. An essential read for all students who want to make the world a better place. * Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, MPH, Flint pediatrician and author of What the Eyes Don't See *
As a public health researcher, I know that racism, not race, is a fundamental cause of racial health inequities. Structural racism is a fixable problem, and policy makers have the power to enact solutions. This book is a tool to educate and empower public health changemakers, providing them with context, wisdom, and inspiration to build our shared vision of an antiracist future. * Rachel Hardeman, PhD, MPH, Founding Director, Center for Antiracism Research for Health Equity, University of Minnesota School of Public Health *
Table of ContentsForeword by Angela Glover Blackwell Acknowledgments About the Editors Contributors Introduction CHAPTER 1 - Why Advocacy and Policy Matter Jody Early and Keely Rees Advocacy Spotlight: Ryan White CHAPTER 2 - Advocacy Terminology: Talking the Talk Heidi Hancher-Rauch and Jodi Brookins-Fisher CHAPTER 3 - Everyday Opportunities for Advocacy Keely Rees, Amy J. Thompson, and Emily Whitney Advocacy Spotlight: Sara Finger CHAPTER 4 - Advocacy: An Essential Skill for Health Education Specialists Kathleen G. Allison, Dianne Kerr, and Amy Hedman-Robertson Advocacy Spotlight: Tyler G. James CHAPTER 5 - Ethics of Public Policy Frameworks: Systems and Environmental Change Sara Finger and E. Lisako J. McKyer Advocacy Spotlight: Willem Van Roosenbeek CHAPTER 6 - The Policy Process Cicily Hampton CHAPTER 7 - Policy Arenas Cicily Hampton CHAPTER 8 - Advocating for Health Equity Holly Mata, Kristen Hernández Ortega, and Aditi Srivistav Bussells Advocacy Spotlight: Dr. Alister Martin and Vot-ER Advocacy Spotlight: Evelyn Garcia Thomas and Daniela Marquez CHAPTER 9 - Advocacy Strategies Alexis Blavos and Holly T. Moses Advocacy Spotlight: Mikka Nyarko CHAPTER 10 - Partnerships and Coalition Building for Advocacy Jean M. Breny, Breanna De Leon, and Elizabeth J. Schwartz Advocacy Spotlight: Victoria Breckwich Vásquez CHAPTER 11 - Community Organization Jennifer Disla and Molly Fleming Advocacy Spotlight: Jennifer Disla CHAPTER 12 - Media Advocacy and Social Marketing Christina Jones and Julie Colehour CHAPTER 13 - Evaluation in Public Health: An Essential Skill Anders Cedergren and Montrece McNeill Ransom CHAPTER 14 - Advocacy for the Long Haul Jody Early and Selina A. Mohammed Index
