Health Calls Season 7, Episode 4 explores how economic development, entrepreneurship, and community investment can improve health outcomes across the United States. Host Brian Reardon welcomes Shekinah Mitchell, Director of Neighborhood Engagement for Community Health at Bon Secours Richmond, to discuss the innovative SEED (Supporting East End Entrepreneurship Development) program.
Rooted in Richmond's East End, SEED helps local entrepreneurs access funding, coaching, and business development resources while addressing long-standing challenges linked to poverty, disinvestment, and health inequities. Mitchell explains how strengthening small businesses creates jobs, builds wealth, revitalizes commercial corridors, and contributes to healthier communities. The conversation also highlights the role of relationship-building, advocacy, and what Mitchell calls "radical imagination" in rethinking healthcare’s responsibility beyond hospital walls.