Stacy Wells on Health Equity, DEI, and Leading with Purpose
About this episode
In this episode of The Healthy Project Podcast, host Corey Dion Lewis sits down with Stacy Wells, a purpose-driven leader and DEI practitioner working at the intersection of behavioral health, education, and public service. From her early days in the classroom to her current role leading health equity efforts in Minnesota’s direct care and treatment system, Stacy shares the challenges and lessons of navigating systemic racism, healthcare disparities, and the politicization of equity work.
Together, they explore how cultural humility, lived experience, and community input must shape our systems of care, and why staying committed to the work matters now more than ever.
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📌 Shownotes:
Chapter Markers
- Welcome and intro to Stacy Wells
- Stacy’s shift from PR to education to public health
- Minnesota’s persistent disparities in education and health
- The intersection of youth education and healthcare systems
- Supporting individuals with complex behavioral health needs
- Why cultural humility matters in direct care
- Including lived experience in designing care
- When community feedback challenges systems
- Speaking truth in professional spaces
- DEI backlash and its toll
- Holding space for joy and rest as a Black woman in the work
- Why staying curious and connected is key
- Final thoughts and how to connect with Stacy Wells
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