May 13, 2014

8renda llLzgerald, M.u.

Commlssloner
Ceorgla ueparLmenL of ubllc PealLh
2 eachLree SLreeL, nW
13
Lh
lloor
ALlanLa, CA 30303-3186

ur. llLzgerald,

We are wrlLlng you Loday Lo urge you Lo resclnd Lhe [ob offer exLended Lo ur. Lrlc Walsh by Lhe Ceorgla ueparLmenL of
ubllc PealLh. 1he PealLh lnlLlaLlve works LhroughouL Lhe sLaLe Lo connecL LC81 Ceorglans Lo healLh servlces and
resources. We value Lhe work of Lhe ueparLmenL and have parLnered on ouLreach campalgns, such as efforLs Lo promoLe
smoke-free spaces.

ur. Walsh's publlc dlsplays of anLl-gay propaganda and rellglous rheLorlc wlll become symbols of Lhe deparLmenL and wlll
furLher lsolaLe an already vulnerable populaLlon. We belleve Lhls hlre ls deLrlmenLal Lo Lhe wellbelng of our communlLy, as
well as Lo Lhe effecLlveness of Lhe ueparLmenL Lo conducL meanlngful ouLreach Lo LC81 Ceorglans.

As spelled ouL by Lhe federal PealLhy eople 2020 reporL and Lhe lnsLlLuLe of Medlclne's 2011 flndlngs, LC81 lndlvlduals
are more llkely Lo avold accesslng prevenLaLlve healLh screenlngs due Lo a lack of culLurally compeLenL provlders and an
overall fear of dlscrlmlnaLlon. When addlng an addlLlonal facLor, such as llvlng ln a rural communlLy, Lhls dlsparlLy ls
furLher helghLened. 1hls avoldance of care resulLs ln LC81 populaLlons exhlblLlng hlgher raLes of a varleLy of healLh
condlLlons, such as hearL dlsease, and hlgher morLallLy raLes for LreaLable condlLlons, such as cervlcal cancer. ln shorL,
homophobla ls a healLh rlsk.

laclng ur. Walsh ln a leadershlp poslLlon wlll valldaLe our communlLy's fears ln engaglng healLh sysLems and wlll hurL Lhe
credlblllLy of any fuLure campalgn launched by Lhe Ceorgla ueparLmenL of ubllc PealLh LhaL may seek Lo address LC81
healLh dlsparlLles.

We belleve Lhe work LhaL Lhe ueparLmenL has done Lo reach Lhe communlLy ls Lremendously lmporLanL, lncludlng havlng
a presence aL Lhe annual ALlanLa rlde lesLlval. We do noL wlsh Lo see Lhose efforLs dlmlnlshed by brlnglng onboard an
lndlvldual LhaL speaks ouL so vehemenLly agalnsL Lhe LC81 populaLlon.

Cur organlzaLlons share common goals of educaLlng Ceorglans abouL Lhelr healLh, encouraglng Lhem Lo access screenlngs,
and Lo Lake acLlons LhaL wlll lncrease Lhelr longevlLy and wellbelng. 1oday, we are asklng Lhe ueparLmenL Lo conLlnue Lo
acL ln Lhe besL lnLeresLs of Lhe sLaLe and resclnd Lhe offer LhaL was made Lo ur. Walsh.

1hank you for your conslderaLlon,

Llnda Lllls, MLd, Mulv, LC
LxecuLlve ulrecLor
1he PealLh lnlLlaLlve, lnc.
404-688-2324 exL. 112