Communities Building Power for Health

HIGHLIGHTING Organic, community-led efforts for health & justice

 

Many local, community-led efforts—which may not be on anyone’s list of “best practices” or “evidence-based” health interventions—are effective because they have emerged organically from local experience within their unique contexts. These local efforts recognize the ever-evolving needs of communities; and that these needs impact their community in nuanced, intersectional ways. In their local efforts to address one issue, people are building community, and in doing so, building power and capacity to address other issues impacting health and justice for their community. Many of these efforts and successes began when community members who were tired of experiencing health inequities and injustices came together and took action to protect their neighbors and family members. These community-led efforts highlight the resiliency, innovation, and power behind the collective drive for change in communities experiencing some of the greatest health inequities and injustices.

To increase the impact of public health initiatives, Praxis and our community allies believe that a more inclusive approach is needed—an approach that prioritizes and recognizes authentic partnerships with community-led efforts as drivers of solutions toward health and justice.

Learn more about the research that went into this landscape mapping project, with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and under the leadership of The Praxis Project and the Psychology Applied Research Center at Loyola Marymount University.

 
 
 

Praxis is honored to highlight the work and influence of community organizations through our Communities Building Power for Health case study media collection.