142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

Annual Meeting Recordings are now available for purchase

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Advocating for Social Justice and Health Equity Through Policy Making: A Case Study of Senator Rosa Franklin, RN

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Tuesday, November 18, 2014 : 5:10 PM - 5:30 PM

Janet Primomo, PhD, MN, BSN , Nursing, University of Washington Tacoma, Tacoma, WA
Background:  The purpose of this paper is to describe from a social justice perspective the career of Senator Rosa Franklin, an African American nurse who represented Tacoma's 29th District in the Washington State Legislature. Senator Franklin's 30-year career in public policy has focused on eliminating health disparities and achieving health equity. Her record of accomplishments as a professional nurse, community activist and state legislator are examined.

Methods:  Data collection methods include interviews with Senator Franklin, interviews with colleagues, a review of newspaper articles covering her public policy work, an investigation of legislation sponsored by her, and a review of documents including newsletters sent to her legislative constituents.

Results: Early familial and cultural experiences including a strong ethic in community service influenced Senator Franklin's career. Her professional nursing career and community activism provided her with rich experiences that she brought to her role as a state legislator and policy maker.  Senator Franklin advocated for issues of social justice and fair distribution of resources to achieve health.  In the 1990’s, she commissioned a GIS study on the relationship between low income and minority communities and hazardous waste sites.  She championed legislation to expand the rights and responsibilities of state registered domestic partners, increase opportunities for higher education in urban settings, find equitable financing of state government, and address other social determinants of health such as housing.

Conclusions:  Senator Franklin’s public health and social justice approach to policy making recognizes the interconnections among health, social welfare, education, housing, transportation, and economic policies. 

Learning Areas:

Administration, management, leadership
Advocacy for health and health education
Other professions or practice related to public health
Public health or related nursing
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
Describe the influences of a professional nursing career and community activism on a legislator’s policy-making agenda. Discuss policy making as a means for nurse leaders to achieve health equity.

Keyword(s): Advocacy, Social Justice

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a co-investigator on the study of Senator Rosa Franklin.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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