Last year, Policies for Action issued a special call for proposals to advance health equity by actively seeking new and diverse perspectives from the policy research field. This opportunity was designed to support researchers from multiple disciplines to better understand and find solutions that will promote health equity and foster action on policies and laws that ensure all people in America can attain and preserve good health and well-being.

In addition to completing their proposed research, these grantees will work alongside a hand-picked group of mentors to enhance their methodological and analytic skills, refine their portfolio of policy research, and learn strategies for ensuring their research is actionable and relevant in changing policy environments.

Five early-career researchers from underrepresented and historically disadvantaged backgrounds were selected from a pool of nearly 50 applicants. They bring diverse and interdisciplinary lenses, unique lived experiences, and a high caliber of scholarly inquiry.

We are pleased to welcome them to the P4A family:

• Joseph Benitez, of the University of Kentucky, will study Medicaid access as an economic buffer against job loss and instability.
• Felix Muchomba, of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, will map maternal health in the state of New Jersey.
• Whitney S. Rice, of Emory University, will study contraceptive access policies as a gateway to improved health and equity.
• Rodlescia S. Sneed, of Michigan State University, will investigate the potential impact of Medicaid work requirements on older adults.
• Naomi Zewde, of the City University of New York, will study whether private insurance provides more medical care than Medicaid.

Our current public health crisis has taught us that there has never been a more urgent time to inform and shape equitable and inclusive policies for all people in America. Please join us in congratulating these new scholars, and keep in touch to learn about the results of their projects.