SPH Antiracism & Social Justice Initiatives
The OHSU-PSU School of Public Health is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment, recognizing that this is essential to achieving our mission. We are dedicated to training public health professionals who are equipped to address racial inequities and advance public health through a combination of education, research, and community service.
We are excited to share our ongoing efforts around social justice, antiracism, decolonization, and health and social equity work.
Latest Social Justice News
SPH Scholarships Are Open!
First Generation Story: Meet Professor Elizaveta (Liz) Walker
Our SPH Social Justice History
Public health is shaped by understanding and addressing the social determinants of health. Therefore, social justice is fundamental to our field. As a School, we strive to incorporate social justice through initiatives that foster support and knowledge around antiracism, decolonization, and health and social equity. We recognize that this is an ongoing journey that requires collaborative efforts
We stand with the American Public Health Association and the Association of Schools & Programs in Public Health in declaring racism a public health crisis.
Social Justice Team
Meet the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Social Justice Staff. Our purpose is to provide transparency and communication for the School of Public Health and our diverse community at large.
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Support SPH Antiracism & Social Justice Initiatives
Donate to our Social Justice & Antiracism capital campaign to support the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health’s work.
DONATE TODAYAntiracism Faculty Fellowships
The OHSU-PSU School of Public Health has created the Antiracism Faculty Fellowships to provide needed support for faculty on the front-line of antiracist, decolonizing efforts.
The Faculty Fellowship RFA was released in December 2020. After considering scores and review comments, 5 applications were selected for funding. Contingent upon their proposals, fellows will have completed their research by June 2023 or June 2024.
Social Justice Advisory Groups
BREATHE Group
BIPOC Resilience, Empowerment, and Affirmations Towards Health Equity
The purpose of this organization is to connect MPH students in the common interest of uniting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students and provide a safe space to voice ideas, interests, and concerns. As well as develop and maintain an expansive network that empowers our communities and promotes solidarity and equity within and beyond the academic institution.

QUEEN Student Group
The purpose of this organization is to unite students in the common interest of supporting LGBTQIA2S+ students by fostering a safe, affirming community for Queer students within our school. We strive to create social support spaces where students can connect, share experiences, and build community, while also advocating for equity in the classroom through inclusive policies, curricula, and practices.
Our mission includes establishing dedicated spaces to gather and socialize, providing educational resources that empower both LGBTQIA2S+ individuals and allies, and ensuring that service remains at the forefront of our work. We are committed to intersectionality and collaboration with other affinity groups, advocating for accessibility in the School of Public Health and beyond, and centering LGBTQIA2S+ health resources to ensure students have access to affirming healthcare, information, and support.
Fat Justice Working Group
The purpose of the Fat Justice Working Group is to engage students, faculty and staff of the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health (SPH) in learning, activities and advocacy to reduce weight stigma and anti-fat bias in ourselves, our School and society at large.
We are part of the SPH commitment to Social Justice, and recognize the deeply intersectional nature of this work. We imagine a future where public health is openly and firmly committed to ending discrimination and other oppression of people in larger bodies.

Abolition In Public Health
We are a relatively new and evolving collective for anyone affiliated with PSU or OHSU (e.g., undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, alumni).
Our goal is to build equitable and antiracist alternatives, create a restorative space for processing concepts like ‘justice’ or ‘crime’, educate each other on the harms of our legal system, and discuss the importance of abolition as a critical tool of public health.
PHREE DIRECTORY
Public Health Resources for Equitable Education (PHREE) Social Justice Directory
As part of the antiracism initiative within the SPH, these resources aim to build racial literacy and explore intersectionality.
PHREE Directory
Upcoming Social Justice Events
LGBTQ+ Health Care Conference
Visible and Valued: Addressing Erasure in Health Care In medicine and healthcare, LGBTQ+ voices are too often marginalized, overlooked or...
Know Your Rights Part 2
Vanport 515, with remote option 1810 SW 5th Avenue, PortlandJoin our Teach-In, developed and facilitated by faculty, staff, and alumni from the School of Public Health. The previous Know...
Centering Transgender and Non-Binary Voices in Public Health
More information to come!
Faculty & Staff: Cultural Awareness Training Program
Join us for a student led, three-part series exploring the diverse identities, histories, and experiences of Asian American and Pacific...
Know Your Rights Part 3
More information to come!
Know Your Rights Part 3
More information to come!