"My Axford Fellowship was a terrific experience, providing the
opportunity to realize the power of my ideas and the ways in which
I deliver them."
Camara Jones
In 1999 Camara Jones, an Assistant Professor at the Harvard
University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, was based with
the Maori Health Unit in the Ministry of Health where she examined disparities
in Maori-Pakeha health outcomes.
My project addressed the question of Maori-Pakeha health disparities
and whether treaty settlements can reverse the impacts of racism. I was
based at the Maori Health Branch in the Ministry of Health, where I learned
about current Maori health policy initiatives, participated in the strategic
planning of the branch, and analyzed data from the National Nutrition
Survey. I was seconded to the Waitangi Tribunal where I observed three
treaty claims hearings, and was also seconded to the Ministry of Maori
Development where I learned how efforts to improve Maori health were integrated
into larger strategies of Maori development.
I spoke widely at government, university, and public fora presenting
a framework for understanding the impacts of racism on health. I was also
interviewed by Te Atiawa radio, and articles on my project appeared in
the Evening Post, Evening Herald, and Tu Mai Magazine as well as in Ministry
of Health, Waitangi Tribunal, and Fulbright newsletters. The wide dissemination
of my work contributed to a renewed discussion of racism in New Zealand
and illuminated the need for full partnership between Maori and the New
Zealand government.
Inspired by Maori development efforts, I submitted a proposal to the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that couples anti-racism
strategies for community empowerment with innovative approaches for delivering
primary care to defined geographic populations. I will share my findings
and experiences in my course Race and Racism at the Harvard School of
Public Health, at the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association,
and at other public fora. My Axford Fellowship was an enriching experience,
providing the opportunity to realize the power of my ideas.
