COHE Message from the Chair

Dear Colleagues,

It is my honor to welcome you to the Council on Health Equity or CHE. Our mission is rooted in a steadfast commitment to the health and wellbeing of children in racially and ethnically minoritized communities. To fulfill this promise, we focus on confronting structural racism and white supremacy, recognizing that systemic forces shape inequities and the very conditions under which children grow, learn, and thrive. By identifying and dismantling policies, practices, and biases that perpetuate inequity, we lay the groundwork for healthier futures.

Equipping pediatricians with inclusive, justice oriented tools is key to our work. Our council aims to provide evidence based resources, training modules, and practical frameworks that empower clinicians to intervene on the social determinants of health—housing, food security, education, and beyond—through a lens of inclusion and health justice. Ensuring that each child receives care that acknowledges and addresses the broader forces influencing their health is key to realizing health equity.

We also aim to cultivate a diverse pediatric workforce. By championing initiatives that recruit, retain, and advance pediatric professionals from underrepresented backgrounds, we ensure that the voices shaping child health reflect the rich tapestry of the populations we serve.

Beyond these strategic priorities, our council strives to be a vibrant forum where members from all minoritized communities can share experiences, challenge assumptions, and co create solutions. Dialogue, not silence, is the lifeblood of progress, and we are committed to fostering a space where we can live up to our stated values.

As I start my term in 2025 we are confronted with big challenges: attacks on DEI and progress towards racial equity and health justice, the gutting of health care and science, federal actions impacting our communities, and attacks on friends and family who identify as trans, so CHE's role is more important than ever. I am committed to helping lead our Executive Committee in pushing the AAP to face these multiple fronts in solidarity with our communities that are the most impacted and most disadvantaged.

As health equity leaders and practitioners we are called in this moment to help the Academy keep true to its promise: dedicated to the health of all children.

In Solidarity,

Nathan T. Chomilo, MD, FAAP, FACP
Chair, Council on Health Equity