Power imbalances and structural oppression — including racism, patriarchy, capitalism, and others — are the root causes of health inequities. These forces work together to maintain the current conditions that keep many of us from accessing the collective resources we need to thrive and live free and healthy lives.
Because the imbalance of power in our society is the most upstream cause of the inequities we seek to change, it’s also the most impactful site for intervention. This suite of resources builds on foundations provided in its preceding sister resource, Set 1: Resources for Collaboration and Power Sharing Between Government Agencies and Community Power-Building Organizations. It is designed for governmental health employees to dive into power: what it is, who holds it, and how to leverage and redistribute it to create more equitable and healthy communities. Health departments can engage with these resources internally and in conjunction with community power-building organization (CPBO) partners and collaborators at other government agencies.