APPEAL Stakeholders Meet to Launch National Advisory Committee and Set Strategic Priorities for Network

In September 26, 2012, APPEAL convened a group of stakeholders from across the US and Pacific Islands working towards Asian American (AA), Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) health parity in the healthy eating and active living (HEAL) and tobacco control movements.

In September 26, 2012, APPEAL convened a group of stakeholders from across the US and Pacific Islands working towards Asian American (AA), Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) health parity in the healthy eating and active living (HEAL) and tobacco control movements. At the meeting, APPEAL’s stakeholders launched APPEAL’s new national advisory committee, which formed to provide direction for APPEAL and its network members. Thirty APPEAL partners from AA and NHPI communities and allies from foundations and health departments discussed priorities for established and emerging tobacco and HEAL issues for our communities. “I enjoyed coming away with a set of priorities for the network,” said one participant, after attendees had engaged in a discussion to prioritize items from APPEAL’s policy recommendations and develop action steps for future work addressing the tobacco and obesity epidemics in AA and NHPI communities.

“Insight from our newly formed advisory committee is extermeley helpful in directing APPEAL’s work to connect, support and build upon on the expertise and strengths of our network partners,” said APPEAL Executive Director Rod Lew. In the midst of a changing policy environment, meeting attendees shared ideas about how to address new challenges and opporutnities, such as engaging new partners in the tobacco control and healthy eating and active living movements, dismantling institutional racism and encouraged each other to learn about and share successes with partners in the APPEAL network.