Raising Women's Voices for the Health Care We Need

Women from all over the country engaged in health care reform are converging on Boston for a two-day conference (April 17-18) at Simmons College, “Raising Women’s Voices for the Health Care We Need.”

Check out the full program, including all panels and speakers, here (PDF). Former U.S. Surgeon Jocelyn Elders gave this morning’s keynote, “The Crisis in Our Health Care System: Why Don’t We Have Quality, Affordable Health Care for All?”

The conference is sponsored by Raising Women’s Voices, a national initiative that advocates for national, affordable health care. Its goal is “to engage a broad array of women’s health advocates in local, state and national health reform discussions to ensure that women’s concerns will be addressed and the health care we get will truly be health care for all.”

Founding partners include:

* Avery Institute for Social Change (led by Byllye Y. Avery, founder of the Black Women’s Health Imperative), which brings together health activists, strategists, community advocates and scholars for constructive dialogue on health disparities and health care reform.

* MergerWatch, an affiliate of Community Catalyst, which empowers communities to fight for patients’ rights and access to care where they are threatened by religious/secular hospital mergers and religious and morally-based health care restrictions.

* National Women’s Health Network, which works to improve the health of all women by influencing health policy and supporting informed consumer decision-making.

Our Bodies Ourselves Executive Director Judy Norsigian is on the advisory board.

Plus: Amanda Marcotte interviews Byllye Avery in her most recent podcast at RH Reality Check.