Office of Inclusive Excellence Newsletter

Earth Day is April 22^nd. Every year since 1970, Earth Day has been recognized as a time to demonstrate support for environmental protection. This month in The Common Thread, we extend Earth Day’s intent to April’s theme which is Planetary Health and Environmental Justice.

April is a time to remind us all that health is shaped long before anyone enters the healthcare system. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the heat we endure, and the neighborhoods we are able to live in are not distributed evenly and those differences are rarely accidental.

What do we mean when we use the terms planetary health and environmental justice?

Planetary Health recognizes that human health depends on the health of natural systems like clean air, safe water, stable climate, and healthy ecosystems that support safe living conditions.

Environmental justice means no community should bear a disproportionate burden of environmental hazards (pollution, heat, flooding, unsafe housing), and that communities most affected must have meaningful influence in decisions that shape their environments.

Black Maternal Health Week - April 11-17, 2026

Kia Hollis is a Certified Nurse-Midwife and Director of the Centering Program with more than seven years of experience providing patient-centered, evidence-based care.  She completed her nursing education through the accelerated program at Case Western Reserve University and holds dual master’s degrees in Nursing and Advanced Practice.  Kia also holds a specialized certification as a First Assist in Cesarean Sections, allowing her to play a critical role in supporting safe surgical births as part of the obstetric care team. 

During Black Maternal Health Week, it is essential to highlight innovative models of care that are making a meaningful difference in outcomes for Black and Brown birthing people. Group prenatal care models such as CenteringPregnancy have been shown to lower maternal morbidity rates by increasing engagement in prenatal visits and breaking down critical barriers to care.  These programs often provide supportive services such as transportation assistance, integrated mental health support, nutrition counseling, and access to healthy food options — all of which address social determinants that disproportionately impact marginalized communities.

Micro-Nature Counts

You don’t need a hike to benefit from nature.  Planetary Health starts close to home sometimes with a single pause that reconnects us to the environments that sustain wellbeing.  This month, try “micro-nature”:

And ask yourself if experiencing ecological anxiety:

Mindful Eco-Wellness: Steps to Healthier Living

Extreme Weather Impacts to Healthcare

Recorded during our GW School of Nursing Speaker Series event, this 75-minute clip features Ms. Sunny Wescott, Federal Emergency Response and Operations Support Chief Meteorologist, whose work highlights the growing connection between extreme weather, community well-being, and the systems that sustain health.  Drawing on her expertise in atmospheric science and emergency response, she discusses how hazards such as extreme heat, intensified rainfall, flash drought, wildfire risk, and other cascading climate-related disruptions are creating new challenges for healthcare and critical infrastructure.  Her remarks offer a timely reminder that environmental justice and planetary health are not abstract ideas, but pressing realities that call us toward innovation, resilience, and collective action.