The Long COVID Community Education Forum Series meets virtually via Zoom and features speakers from community organizations, universities, and hospitals coming together to discuss important issues about Long COVID and its impact on individuals and communities.

Past Forums

Raising the Bar on Advancing Health Equity in Healthcare Institutions and Our State

April 1st, 2024

Ángel Rodriguez, Research Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Co-Author of Antiracist Institutional Change in Healthcare

Dr. Thea James, Professor, Associate Chief Medical Officer, and VP of Mission at Boston Medical Center and Health Equity Compact member

Juan Fernando Lopera, Co-founder of the Health Equity Compact and Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at Beth Israel Lahey Health

Join us as we build shared understanding about best practices for advancing antiracist change within healthcare institutions. We will engage in dialogue through small-group discussion with each other about what we are seeing, learning, and most need in order to strengthen success within our respective institutions, and what we could focus on collectively to raise the bar on advancing health equity throughout our state. The recommendations that emerge from the forum can then inform the priorities for action that are shared with MA legislators at a second briefing that BCRC and MA Rep. Mindy Domb will hold in the spring with her colleagues.

Policy Priorities to Address Long COVID in Our Country and Advance Health Equity in Our State

October 24, 6-8 PM

Ayanna Pressley, U.S. Representative

Michael Curry, CEO, Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers

Mindy Domb, MA State Representative

James “Jimmy” Hills, Host of Java with Jimmy

Linda Sprague Martinez, PhD, Boston University School of Social Work, MassCPR

Netia McCray, Founder, Mbadika, and COVID-19 Long Hauler

Ayanna Pressley, MA US representative, and Michael Curry, CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, will engage in dialogue about key policies they are advocating for to address Long COVID in our country (Pressley) and advance health equity in our state (Curry). Both are tireless advocates to help our state and country improve the health care and health of our communities and build systems, funding, and a shared culture that affirms our common humanity and fosters care, equity, and wellbeing.

Healing from the Loss and Grief of COVID and Racism: The Power of Community Building and Belonging to Foster Resilience and Advance Health Equity

September 28, 2023

john a. powell, Director, Othering & Belonging Institute, University of California, Berkeley

Reverend Dr. Gloria White Hammond, Co-Pastor, Bethel AME Church

James “Jimmy” Hills, Host of Java with Jimmy

Linda Sprague Martinez, PhD, Boston University School of Social Work, MassCPR

Netia McCray, Founder, Mbadika, and COVID-19 Long Hauler

Discover the power of community in transforming the grief we’ve experienced from losses due to Long COVID -- into healing, resilience, belonging, and advocacy to co-create systems and a shared culture that welcomes us, centers our humanity, advances health equity, and supports our communities to thrive rather than continue to be excluded and undermined.

Long COVID Clinical Care and Supports: What we have + What we need

June 28, 2023

George A. Alba, MD, Associate Director, Coronavirus Recovery (CORE) Clinic, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, MGH

Tanayott (Tony) Thaweethai, PhD, Associate Director, Biostatistics Research and Engagement, MGH Biostatistics, Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School,

Sarimer Sánchez, MD, MPH, Medical Director of Infectious Diseases Bureau, Boston Public Health Commission

James “Jimmy” Hills, Host of Java with Jimmy

Hear panelists, informed by Dr. Martinez’s data, discuss what clinical care and supports are available and what more is needed, especially to care for marginalized populations living with Long COVID. Dr. George Alba opened with a presentation on existing clinical care and services at the MGH CORE clinic. Dr. Thaweethai followed with a data driven Long COVID scoring framework based on symptoms.

Achieving Racial Equity: The Impact of Long COVID, Health, and Beyond

March 28, 2023

Linda Sprague Martinez, PhD, Boston University School of Social Work, MassCPR

Chastity Bowick, Community Access, Recruitment & Engagement (CARE) Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital

Learn more about the remarkable findings from recent research Linda Sprague Martinez conducted with Black and Latinx populations about their experiences with Long COVID.

Forum Speakers

  • Rep. Ayanna Pressley

    U.S. Representative for MA’s 7th District

  • Michael Curry, Esq.

    President and CEO of the Mass League of Community Health Centers

  • john a. powell

    Director of the Othering & Belonging Institute, University of California, Berkeley

  • Mindy Domb

    State Representative of MA’s 3rd Hampshire District

  • Linda Sprague Martinez, PhD

    Boston University School of Social Work, MassCPR

  • Reverend Gloria White-Hammond, MD

    Co-Pastor of Bethel AME Church, Founder and Director of My Sister’s Keeper

  • George Alba, MD

    Associate Director of the Coronavirus Recovery (CORE) Clinic, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, MGH

  • James "Jimmy" Hills

    Host of Java With Jimmy

  • Netia McCray

    Founder of Mbadika, COVID-19 Long Hauler

  • Chastity Bowick

    Community Access, Recruitment & Engagement (CARE) Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital

  • Tanayott Thaweethai, PhD

    Associate Director of Biostatistics Research and Engagement at MGH Biostatistics, Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School

  • Sarimer Sánchez, MD, MPH

    Director of Infectious Diseases Bureau, Boston Public Health Commission