Eighteenth International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

When discussing issues of health disparities and socioeconomic inequality, one cannot separate them from communities, especially those with minorities and cultural diversity. The community as part of society offers a rich and powerful content. It embeds itself largely in a physical social environment, that not only represents a geographical location but includes groups of people of various ages, genders, ethnicities, cultural origins, primary languages as well as their social economic status that ties to social identity and education attainment, employment status, income level and immigration status. Community growth is determined by social conditions, which are products of society. Resources and environmental safety are two elements that often contribute to a community’s capacity for development. The community is also a producer that interacts and influences the society actively. This discussion will focus on the West Side and Near West Side of Chicago communities as examples to illustrate the importance of social cohesion from a community health perspective. It will review social determinants that have influenced the communities’ overall health and development and identify key parties that can contribute with positive long-lasting changes. This work seeks to find a practical pathway to bring local government, policy makers and crucial professional partners together to create opportunities for diverse communities that have long battled with multiple challenges due to damaged social economic conditions.