Centering Community: Reflections from the Environmental Health Disparities Roundtable
/Over the past few months, community members across Spokane, Ferry, Stevens, and Adams counties came together to share their lived experiences, priorities, and visions for a healthier future. These conversations were part of Washington’s Environmental Health Disparities (EHD) Map update process—a statewide effort led by the Washington State Department of Health’s Washington Tracking Network (DOH-WTN), with regional partnership support from Better Health Together (BHT).
Together, we hosted eight listening sessions and a culminating roundtable, engaging over 300 participants. BHT’s role was to help convene local partners, support outreach and logistics, and ensure that community voices and leadership remained at the heart of the process.
These gatherings weren’t just about data—they were about trust, relationships, and honoring the wisdom that already exists in our communities. From the very beginning, this work was grounded in shared power, cultural relevance, and accountability.
Community members didn’t stop at naming challenges—they offered place-based solutions rooted in lived experience. They reminded us:
Food access should be fresh, healthy, and offered with dignity—not just available.
Housing and wages should allow people to thrive—not just survive.
Healthcare should be accessible, affordable, and culturally grounded.
Representation matters—especially in schools, where Black and Brown educators foster safety and affirmation.
Youth and families need care—not just services—including safe spaces, trusted adults, childcare, and after-school programs.
Accountability must show up at every level—from policy to practice, from systems to neighborhoods.
And this is just the beginning.
What gave the roundtable its depth was not just participation—but community leadership. Attendees helped shape the conversations and offered bold, actionable ideas like community land trusts, cooperative childcare, and locally owned solutions.
For BHT, this process reaffirmed something we’ve long believed: real change happens when it’s led by the community and guided by collective wisdom.
The work is far from over. Notes and reflections from the listening sessions are being reviewed and will inform version 3.0 of the EHD Map, as well as a qualitative companion map that captures the deeper stories behind the data. We remain committed to returning this information to the community, ensuring transparency and ongoing partnership.
With deep respect and gratitude,
The Better Health Together Team