Narrative Matters: Shining A Light On Child Health

Last month, a group of writers, clinicians, policy makers and other experts gathered at Airlie House in Warrenton, Virginia, for the 2014 Narrative Matters Symposium. About an hour outside the city, the scenic fall setting—rolling farm land and trees with auburn and gold leaves—was the perfect backdrop to take attendees outside of their normal day-to-day work and introduce them to others who also are deeply passionate about improving the health of vulnerable children. The focus of this year’s symposium was “Vulnerable Children: Using Stories to Shine a Light on Child Health.” Manuel Pastor, professor of Sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity at the University of Southern California, delivered a keynote address in which he discussed the changing demographics of the United States, which by 2043 is projected to be a “majority minority” nation — driven, not by immigration itself, but by the rising number of children born in this country to immigrants. Economists have noted that inequality in the nation causes slower economic growth, Pastor pointed out, concluding that if we reduce income disparities, we are actually contributing to national prosperity. The evening also featured a reading by Hakim Bellamy, a W.K. Kellogg Foundation Fellow and the inaugural poet laureate of Albuquerque, New Mexico. You can listen to one of Bellamy’s poems, “Fisher Price School of Medicine,” which was written especially for the Narrative Matters event. Over...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - Category: Health Management Authors: Tags: All Categories Children Narrative Matters Personal Experience Policy Source Type: blogs