Do No Harm v. Dr. Brooke Cunningham

Public advisory boards for government agencies are commonplace across the country, typically helping state agencies make informed decisions to carry out their public policies and priorities. 

The Minnesota Health Equity Advisory and Leadership (HEAL) Council is one such board. HEAL makes recommendations on how to implement the Minnesota Department of Health’s equity plan into its policies and programs. 

HEAL has 18 members and state law requires no prerequisites for membership except one: The health commissioner must consider race when making appointments.  

Specifically, HEAL membership must include representation from the following preferred racial groups: African American and African heritage communities, Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, Latina/o/x communities, and American Indian communities and Tribal governments.