A Look Back from Outgoing Chair Juana Slade

It has been my honor to serve as the Chair of the Alliance For a Healthier South Carolina for the last two years. There’s a well-known quote that says, “the days are long, but the years are short,” and it’s certainly felt that way during my extended term leading the organization.

It was a defining time for the Alliance and many of our members as we worked together and separately to address the unique challenges our state has faced, from the COVID-19 pandemic to the longstanding heath inequities impacting South Carolina. As I look back at my time as Chair, I realize these inequities have never been more in the spotlight. Whether we see them in the data showing that communities of color have worse health outcomes from COVID-19, or the faces of the people marching in the streets after these racial injustices occur in our society – we see them.

And I see part of the Alliance’s role as not only recognizing these disparities but raising awareness and calling attention to the public health issues that are generally worsened more by our zip code than our genetic code. Live Healthy SC is a fantastic blueprint for targeting specific health measures and populations to improve overall health in our state. However, it does require alignment between South Carolina’s health advocates, state agencies and our healthcare system. That is where the Alliance thrives.

And I know the Alliance will continue to thrive under the leadership of Dr. Shawn Stinson. I look forward to continuing to serve under his leadership, and I hope you will too.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as the Chair of the Alliance for a Healthier South Carolina during these extraordinary times. I learned a great deal about myself and the resiliency of this community we’ve created together.

Juana Spears Slade, CDM, CCF

Chief Diversity Officer and Director of Diversity & Language Services, AnMed Health