New Public Art Display Urges Minnesotans To Start Seeing Inequity

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota launches display across several cities throughout the state

News provided by

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota

Jul 15, 2019, 08:00 ET

EAGAN, Minn., July 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- While Minnesota is overall one of the healthiest states in the country, it is also home to some of the worst health disparities. Further compounding this contrast is the fact that less than half of recently surveyed Minnesotans acknowledge how things like safe neighborhoods, a living wage or safe, affordable housing can impact people's well-being.

To raise awareness of these and other everyday barriers and their impact on health, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) has launched a statewide public art display using Rainworks, a rain-activated solution that reveals messages when wet.

"It may be challenging to see the connection between something like discrimination and how healthy a person is, if someone doesn't face the reality of discrimination every day," said Dr. Mark Steffen, vice president and chief medical officer at Blue Cross. "Our hope is that these sidewalk displays encourage conversations across Minnesota communities and help illuminate how things like food, safety, income and education impact the health of individuals and communities."

The hidden, rain-activated messages about health equity can be found throughout several Minnesota communities including St. Paul, Eagan, Virginia, Aurora, Duluth, Willmar, and Winona. For more information, visit bluecrossmn.com/startseeinginequity.

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (bluecrossmn.com), with headquarters in the St. Paul suburb of Eagan, was chartered in 1933 as Minnesota's first health plan and continues to carry out its charter mission today as a health company: to promote a wider, more economical and timely availability of health services for the people of Minnesota. Blue Cross is a not-for-profit, taxable organization. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, headquartered in Chicago.