Tulane University Hosting a National Summit on Health Equity in Montgomery, Alabama
The 2025 Partners for Advancing Health Equity Summit is set to take place December 3 -5, in Montgomery, Alabama, providing a unique backdrop for reflection and collaboration. With the theme “Collaborative Strategies for a Better Future,” the Summit invites participants to explore how place, history, and community leadership can inform national strategies for health equity.
Attendees will engage in powerful interactive sessions designed to foster enriching discussions and co-development of actionable tools. The Summit will feature timely workshops focusing on shared leadership and research in action, ensuring that participants leave with insights that can transform their communities and advance health equity.
On December 5th, the Plenary Session, "The Power of Stories to Promote Equity", will feature Clint Smith, bestselling award-winning author, poet, and thought leader, whose groundbreaking work has transformed our understanding of history and storytelling. Smith is the author of the New York Times bestseller narrative nonfiction book, How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America and is a staff writer at The Atlantic.
In addition to the engaging sessions, preconference field trips will offer attendees the chance to explore Montgomery’s rich local context and history, deepening their understanding while connecting with peers. Notably, the summit coincides with the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Rosa Parks arrest and bus boycott, providing a unique opportunity to reflect on this pivotal moment in civil rights history.
“We are honored to host the 2025 Partners for Advancing Health Equity Summit in Montgomery; a city steeped in history and resilience. This Summit is a critical opportunity for us to come together, share knowledge, and develop actionable strategies that will drive health equity forward. Together, we can forge a better future for all communities,” said Thomas LaVeist, Dean and Weatherhead Presidential Chair, Tulane Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.
The Summit is hosted in partnership with Alabama State University, ensuring that both national expertise and local community perspectives shape the experience. Co-sponsors include Evidence for Action, Transforming Academia for Equity, and Community Campus Partnerships for Health.
**Special Event Spotlight**
Film Premiere of “The Skin You’re In”
On December 4th, to conclude the first full day of the Summit, attendees and members of the Montgomery community will have the opportunity to view a special screening of "The Skin You’re In," a poignant documentary that highlights the stark reality that Black Americans live sicker and die younger than any other ethnic group in the nation. The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with Writer and Director, Dean Thomas LaVeist, along with Scheron Bryant Jr. and Tevon Robinson, two men featured in the film. This discussion will provide deeper insights into how history, policy, and personal narratives intersect to shape today’s health outcomes.
Special Guest Moderator: Award-winning journalist, Dean Meminger
The Q&A session will be moderated by New York City journalist, Dean Meminger, known for his insightful reporting and deep commitment to storytelling. Born in Harlem and raised in The Bronx, Spectrum News NY1 Anchor and Criminal Justice Reporter Dean Meminger has delivered the news for more than 30 years on TV and radio. A NY1 staff member since 1997, Dean covers the police and all things criminal justice. He is often in the anchor chair when breaking news happens.
For those unable to attend the in-person event, the film and subsequent Q&A session will be streamed online.
Find more information and register here for the 2025 Summit, Montgomery, Alabama.
Register here for free tickets to “The Skin You’re In” in-person screening.
Register here for free online access to view “The Skin You’re In” screening. Prescreening is available beginning November 29, 2025.
