Senior Director for Education, Operations & Initiatives

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RMarch 25, 2013

Marco Barker, PhD

UNC Diversity & Multicultural Affairs

04A South Building, CB# 9125

Chapel Hill, NC 27599

Dear Dr. Barker:

We would like to invite you to participate in the upcoming 19thNational Health Equity Research Webcast(formerly the Annual Summer Public Health Research Institute and Videoconference on Minority Health) that will take place June 4, 2013 in the Tate-Turner-Kuralt auditorium of the UNC School of Social Work and be broadcast nationally via Internet. The topic for this year’s webcast is Early Child Development and its implications for health, educational, and economic policies and practices.

This annual broadcast is an interdisciplinary, collaborative effort that builds on the expertise and support of UNC campus partners, community agencies, researchers and practitioners in the health and education professions, and other organizations and individuals in NC and across the nation with an interest in achieving equity in health, educational achievement, and opportunities to contribute in all areas of society. The Webcast presents the opportunity for UNC to create a “national forum” and engage local and virtual audiences on issues of health disparities, diversity, policy, and action. We hope that you will join us in facilitating this conversation.

In the past, the Webcast has garnered financial and non-monetary support from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, which houses the Minority Health Project, UNC Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, Norfolk State University Ethelyn R. Strong School of Social Work,Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, UNC School of Medicine, UNC School of Social Work, American Indian Center, Institute of African American Research, Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, UNC Campus Health Services’ Counseling and Wellness Services, UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, and many others. With the current debates on national healthcare and early childhood development, this Webcast, with your support, will provoke a lively discussion on the intersections of early childhood interventions, health, ethnicity, policy.

Your donation in any amount is appreciated (see sponsorship levels below). All financial support is acknowledged on the official Webcast website, in our printed conference materials, and in credits displayed at the end of the broadcast, archived webcast, and DVD. In addition, the moderator announces major cosponsorships at the beginning of the broadcast.

Like last year’s, our upcoming broadcast features three 20-minute presentations followed by an extended question-and-answer session with the studio and remote audiences. This year's presenters are: Yvette Sanchez-Fuentes, Director, Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services; Portia R. Kennel, MSW, Senior Vice President, Program Innovation, Ounce of Prevention Fund, and Executive Director, Educare Learning Network; and Sarah L. (Hicks) Kastelic, MSW, PhD, Deputy Director, National Indian Child Welfare Association. This year’s moderator is Khari M. Garvin, MEd, Director, NC Head Start-State Collaboration Office, Office of Early Learning (Pre-K - Grade 3), State Board of Education/Department of Public Instruction. More information about the speakers and program can be found at

Last year's event had an estimated 2,000 viewers for the live Internet broadcast, including students, educators, researchers, public health practitioners, and administrators around the country. The studio audience included students, researchers, faculty, members of the community, and participants in two large programs to prepare underrepresented minorities for professional careers (N.C. Health Careers Access Program and the Medical Education Development [MED] program). Thousands more view our programs as archived webcasts or from DVDs we provide for agency trainings and university classes.

We hope that you will be able to join us for this important broadcast and invite your organization or student group (e.g., summer program) to be part of the experience. If the current financial situation prevents you from offering financial support, we will still appreciate a formal endorsement that we can use to promote the event and to solicit support from others. We also invite you to join us for a reception with the speakers from 3:00pm-5:00pm Monday, June 3 and for a lunch with them on Tuesday, June 4 at 11:30am. Please let us know if you will attend either or both of these events by returning the accompanying contribution form by May 13, 2013.

We thank you for supporting this nationally-known and respected program and advancing the twin goals of equity and inclusion. Please return the accompanying form with your pledge by May 13, 2013. Feel free to contact Dr. Barker or Dr.Schoenbach with questions. Thank you in advance for your support.*

Yours sincerely,

Victor J. Schoenbach, Ph.D.Marco J. Barker, Ph.D.

DirectorSr. Director for Education, Operations, and InitiativesMinority Health Project Diversity and Multicultural Affairs

919-966-7436, 919-843-5525,

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*Our fiscal arrangements are handled by:

Vicki Moore

Department of Epidemiology

McGavran-Greenberg, CB# 7435

(Office) 919-966-7470, (Fax) 919-966-7457

Enclosures: Contribution/endorsement form

Sponsorship levels

Patron – $10,000 and above

Co-sponsor – $5,000 - $9,999

Contributor – $2,500 - $4,999

Supporter – $1,000 - $2,499

Special Friend – $500 - $999

Friend – $100 - $499