The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving and the Connecticut Health Foundation have awarded $40,000 in grants to the UConn Foundation to support continued efforts to address health equity among boys and men of color.

Recently, the UConn Health Disparities Institute (HDI) hosted a three-day “State of Health Equity among Boys and Men of Color Summit,” which culminated with an “Ideas Lab,” where groups of participants came up with proposals for action whether it be research or some other kind of initiative.

A sample from the virtual “Visualizing Health Equity in Boys & Men of Color” art gallery.

The grants from the Hartford Foundation and the Connecticut Health Foundation support the community resident Ideas Lab, which will take place over the course of the year following the summit.

“The Hartford Foundation is excited about this important collaboration with the Connecticut Health Foundation supporting this UConn Health Disparities Institute effort to educate, engage and empower Black men and boys to respond to the longstanding health challenges in their communities,” said Hartford Foundation Director of Community Partnerships Judy McBride in a prepared statement. “This effort directly advances our shared commitment to supporting civic engagement and resident engagement, as the summit and its community workshops will develop action projects that have the potential to support dismantling structural racism by expanding resident-led community and advocacy efforts and creating innovative solutions.”

In 2018, HDI released its CT Report Card on Health Equity among Boys and Men of Color, which evaluated available data. There are several areas where men of color experience disparities when it comes to health, whether that be health coverage, health conditions, or mortality rates, according to the report.

The HDI will release another report card later this year, as well as a report card regarding health equity for girls and women of color with a spotlight on maternal mortality.