The ‘My City My Health Equity Summit' will tackle equity, community conversations, culture in Des Moines

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Registration is open for My City My Health Equity Summit presented by Corey Dion Lewis, podcast host and founder of the popular Healthy Project.

“I want people not to think of this as your average conference,” said Lewis, a clinical health coach at Broadlawns Medical Center in Des Moines. “It’s not that. It’s a conversation with the community.”

Health leaders and community members will engage in discussions centered around health disparities, health inequities and underserved communities, Lewis said. He said organizers put some “hot sauce” on the event, including intentionally bringing participants an “experience” that is unique to Des Moines and showcases Black culture through music and art.

“If someone leaves out of this event with a bunch of notes, I’m going to be upset because I want you to be so immersed in the experience that you don’t want to waste any time,” he said.

The event features health leaders, community members and several panel discussions. The keynote speaker is Renee Hardman, Broadlawns Medical Center’s first chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer and vice president of human resources.

Lewis said the goal is to create a culturally relevant experience.

“Where it’s not your regular elevator music,” he said, laughing. “Where you're going to hear something where you might want to get up and dance to. That’s the experience that we're going for.”

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An original piece of art by artist B. Robert Moore will be up for auction. Blk & Bold Specialty Coffee is sponsoring the coffee, Lewis said.

The conference will be held from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 11 at Mainframe Studios in Des Moines. Tickets are on sale now. In-person tickets are $45. A networking social will follow the event. See the list of speakers.

“That’s always been the mission: to have real conversations around racism and health care and unconscious bias, Black and Brown health, mental health and community collaboration,” he said.

Some of the conversations will include why Black women are treated poorly by the health care system, he said.

“That’s a fact,” he said. “What can we do? How do we change that narrative?”