Hard as it is to believe, we are on the eve of the holiday season and, no surprise, it is an incredibly busy time. And while the challenges and opportunities of the current political moment are impacting us all, it’s worth noting also the many ways our work is progressing, reinvigorating our partnerships, and our purpose.
Most exciting, I’m very happy to share that we at IIGH have just released our 2025–2030 Strategic Plan, under the banner “Until We Are All Equal.” This was a true labor of love – love for the Institute itself and so much love and gratitude from us all to everyone who contributed. Writing and drafting the plan was a highly collaborative and participatory process in which USC leadership, faculty, staff, students, and high-level external partners engaged with us at every juncture, ensuing the result is forward-looking and designed to meet our rapidly changing landscape with clarity, courage, and purpose.
With one topical pillar of our strategic plan being “Climate and Sustainability,” it seems apt to highlight the connections between some of our work and what is happening at COP30 this week. COP30 leadership has called for this conference to be a summit of “implementation and adaptation,” with the goal of translating climate commitments into tangible action and increasing, in very necessary ways, country contributions. As we all know, these conversations are happening alongside incredible innovation and strategic thinking, as much as climate denialism and rollbacks of climate protections. For IIGH, we hope in some small way to contribute to the vision of COP by spurring implementation and centering those communities who are most impacted by climate change in our research, training, and policy efforts. In fact, please do join us for our December virtual event on “Building Sustainable Partnerships for Climate Resilience and Health Equity.”
Our commitment over the coming months is to offer myriad ways for the USC community and our partners across the world to join us in pushing health equity forward. The importance of a strategic vision has always been paramount to achieving collective goals, but it is people, friends and partners, who are key to all that can truly be achieved. With gratitude for you all.
Please visit our website for more opportunities and events and don’t hesitate to reach out at global.health@usc.edu.
With very warmest wishes,
Sofia Gruskin, JD, MIA
Director
USC Institute on Inequalities in Global Health