About this Event
Touro University of California Public Health Program
2026 Public Health Speaker Series
The Roots of Health: History, Economics, and Structural Disparities
Our 12th Annual Touro University California Public Health Speaker Series continues its tradition of bringing together experts, scholars, and community leaders to explore timely issues shaping public health and health disparities. This year’s series looks upstream to examine the historical, economic, and structural forces that shape health and well-being. Speakers will explore themes including:
- History and its lasting impact on health, including how past policies and systems continue to influence present-day disparities
- Poverty, income, and economic inequality as fundamental drivers of health and opportunity
- Structural factors and public health, examining how systems, policies, and institutions shape the conditions in which people live, work, and thrive
Together, the series will examine how historical, economic, and institutional systems produce and sustain unequal health outcomes and consider the policy and systemic changes needed to improve health and well-being across communities.
Lander Hall B, 105 Owen Drive, Vallejo, CA 94592
Select Thursdays from 5 pm - 7 pm
Contact information: 707-638-5838, [email protected], https://tu.edu/programs/public-health/
Lectures are open to the public and free! Registration is required. Light refreshments provided. Continuing education credits available.
FULL SERIES SCHEDULE:
September 24: Immigration, Social Movements, and Poverty: A Global Perspective – Genevieve Negrón-Gonzales, PhD
An examination of immigration, education, economic conditions, and social policy, and how these forces influence opportunity, community well-being, and health.
October 15: Native Communities, History, and Economic Well-Being – Cutcha Risling Baldy, PhD
A historical perspective on the economic and social conditions that have shaped the health and well-being of Native communities, including the continuing influence of policy, land, education, and community resources.
October 29: Children, Poverty, and Public Policy – Shimica Gaskins, JD
A policy and advocacy perspective on the economic and social conditions affecting children and families, with attention to how public policy can influence opportunity, health, and community well-being.
November 12: Poverty, Incarceration, and Economic Instability – Reuben Jonathan Miller, PhD
An examination of the relationship between poverty and incarceration and how involvement with the criminal legal system can affect employment, housing, family economic stability, and health.
November 19: Local Perspectives on Homelessness and the Unhoused: Poverty, Economic Insecurity, and Public Health - Panel
Panelists: TBD
A public health perspective on homelessness and the experiences of unhoused individuals and families in our local communities, with attention to the economic and structural conditions that contribute to housing instability and homelessness, the health consequences of being unhoused, and the challenges people face in accessing health care, housing, social services, and other supports.
December 3: Poverty, Food Insecurity, and Community Solutions – Lisa Goldman Rosas, PhD
An examination of the relationship between poverty, access to nutritious food, and health, with attention to public policy, community programs, and practical approaches to improving food access.
Event venue & nearby stays
Touro University California, 105 Owen Dr., Vallejo, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.