Key Focus Areas – The Humanization Matters Collaborative

Our Areas of Focus

Humanizing patients, families, and communities, with specific focus on historically marginalized and dehumanized communities
Understanding the impacts of dehumanization on policy and practice in healthcare, healthcare research, and health systems (i.e. health disparities, social determinants of health, structural racism)
Understanding the impact of dehumanizing language on communities
Integrating lived experience into policy and practice by honoring the dignity of communities through their own voices
Ensuring and implementation of health equity initiatives in partnership with patients, families, and communities
Implementation of processes that support co-design and co-creation
Supporting the implementation of communications training in medical education and graduate medical education on the impacts of dehumanization and patient/family/community engagement
Building and sustaining leadership capacity in dehumanized communities

Humanizing students, families, and communities, with specific focus on historically marginalized and dehumanized communities
Understanding the impacts of dehumanization on a policy and practice on education and
Supporting training for teachers, staff, school administrators, and school district officials
Advising on curriculum development, textbook recommendations, and cultural awareness
Supporting advocacy efforts in dehumanized communities (Know Your Power and Know Your Agency)

Understanding the impact of media bias on dehumanized communities and fostering efforts for fair and balanced coverage
Understanding the impact of hurtful and discriminatory language in political discourse
Supporting efforts to encourage more balanced media coverage of dehumanized communities
Providing training on culturally sensitive and appropriate language in media and political discourse