Billye Avery tells students, “Health care is a human right.”
Billye Avery, founder of the women’s health care movement and president of the Avery Institute for Social Change, spoke to more than 60 Suffolk students and faculty members on Thursday, Feb. 21 as part of the Distinguished Visiting Scholars lecture series.
“Know that your health is the most important thing that you have,” she said passionately, earrings swinging in emphasis above her purple turtleneck and jewel-colored blouse. “It is really one of the only things you own.”
Her dedication to sharing this belief with African American women led to her work as a health care reform activist in the ’70s, starting the National Black Women’s Health Project, which turns 25 this June. Over the past three decades, her work has grown into a national health care reform movement, improving access to health records, raising awareness of racial disparities in the health care system, joining women’s voices to obtain the health care they need, and emphasizing prevention and primary care as the vision for the future.
“We have a sick-care system,” she said, “not a health care system.”
Avery views health care needs through the eyes of black women, of white women, of all the women of color, because health care is perceived differently by each of them. “The way we are shaped by our experiences determines how we see the world,” she said, and how we see the health care options available to us.
“You need access to health care to stay healthy. People need food, shelter, clothing and support.” The existing health care system is not functioning, she said, because there are 47 million people without health insurance in this country. Other countries that have health care access for all don’t understand Americans. But there are people in the U.S. who don’t believe that health care is a human right, she noted, they believe it is a privilege, and that there are those who deserve it and those who don’t.
“What about illegal aliens, should they have health care?” asked a student. “They should have it,” Avery declared, “because they are humans. Because that is how humans are to each other.” She suggested that there could be some way for them to pay into the system, but they should not be turned away. “We want health care for everybody. It’s that clear.”
“How do you begin making change happen?” asked another student. “Get involved yourself. Learn the issue, start small,” said Avery. “Find a few like-minded people and start with a small group discussion.”
She raised her arms, appealing to everyone in the room. “What do we want to have as a legacy?” she asked. “We want to engage people around change, vision and a better future.”
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