The South Coast Equity Coalition is proud to announce receipt of a grant from Oregon Health Authority’s
Office of Equity and Inclusion to serve as a new Regional Health Equity Coalition. With United Way of
Southwestern Oregon as our backbone organization, the South Coast Equity Coalition is now part of a
statewide initiative that serves as a bridge to historically underserved and underrepresented
communities. Our goal is to empower diverse groups to become involved in developing unique,
culturally appropriate solutions to pervasive issues of inequity that impact the health outcomes and
wellbeing of community members.
Our priority populations include:
• Communities of Color
• Tribal Nations with ancestral ties to Coos & Curry Counties
• Immigrants and refugees
• Migrant and Seasonal farmworkers
• Low-income populations
• People with disabilities
• LGBTQIA2S+ communities
As we begin this work, we are very pleased to welcome Jamar Ruff as the new South Coast Equity
Coalition Director! In this role, Jamar will build upon local equity initiatives from the last three years as
we move forward in addressing health equity amongst marginalized communities on Oregon’s southern
coast. Jamar has been involved in coastal community organizations since 2017, volunteering with
organizations including United Way of Southwestern Oregon, HIV Alliance, and Southern Oregon Coast
Pride, and leading The Beet Food Systems Consortium to address barriers within our local food system.
• The South Coast Equity Coalition acknowledges achieving health equity requires the ongoing
collaboration of all communities and sectors, including tribal governments, to address the
equitable distribution or redistribution of resources and power; and recognizing, reconciling,
and rectifying historical and contemporary injustices. We welcome community participation in
our activities and conversations. If you would like more information on Regional
Health Equity Coalitions, please visit https://www.oregon.gov/oha/oei/Pages/rhec.aspx
For more information about SCEC please contact:
Jamar Ruff (he/they)
Office # 541-267-5202
Email: [email protected]
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