Many Thanks Evette Minor!
Our Advisory Board member, Evette Minor, is stepping away from her role and taking on new responsibilities. Evette is a community leader and organizer active in many equity efforts, commissions, and community initiatives across Sonoma County. She has been instrumental to Health Action Together’s development and work. Before leaving our Advisory Board, Evette shared the following words with us:
I am stepping away from the Board, and have recently taken on the role of Director of Social Services and coordinator for the after-school on-call program LifeSTEPS. I feel privileged to work directly at the sites where people reside, providing referrals, resources, and information through classes, events, and activities.
I am also in the process of becoming a Doula, aiming to offer advocacy, emotional, physical, and educational support to families during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Doulas provide comfort measures during labor through massage and positioning, assist with breastfeeding, and support newborn care.
Could you please share your involvement in Health Action Together and previous iterations of Health Action? How and why did you become engaged in this work?
I began my journey with Health Action in 2015 as a resident concerned for my community. With Roseland becoming part of Santa Rosa, we were preparing for annexation by discussing what we wanted to see in the Roseland Specific Plan. We recognized the disparities this area faced compared to the rest of Santa Rosa and the county. I took part in Human Design and was on panels discussing our efforts in Roseland to address crime hotspots and conduct regular cleanups. This experience ignited my passion for doing more, leading me to develop an interest in policy work to ensure that the unrepresented voices were included. Following the dismantling of Health Action, I served as an interim board member in 2021 during the transition to Health Action Together. In 2023, I became the board chair for Health Action Together, a position I held until January 2026.
What aspects of Health Action Together and the Agenda for Action inspire you?
Before joining Health Action Together, I realized that my values aligned closely with the work we do. As we progressed toward the Agenda for Action, it further reinforced the importance of pursuing action and designing solutions for marginalized communities. One of the most impactful accomplishments of Health Action Together has been bringing community members onto the Health Action Board to ensure their voices are heard. This represents a true empowerment initiative, teaching individuals how to engage and creating community cohorts to educate them on the intricacies of policy and how to effect change.
How will you continue to support this work and the Agenda for Action beyond your term as Board Member for Health Action Together?
In my current role, I actively support the Agenda for Action. I am now on the frontlines, working to uplift those in need and reaching out to them before they become just another data point in a survey.