National Collaborative for Health Equity

Anna Julia Cooper became one of the first Black women in the U.S. to earn a PhD and a powerful voice for education, civil rights, and the advancement of Black women. Her work laid important foundations for later movements for civil rights and voting rights.

#WomensHistoryMonth #AnnaJuliaCooper

There are 306 Black-owned bookstores in the US, and now you can easily track all of them This week, the National Association of Black Bookstores launched its National Black-Owned Bookstore Directory.

There are 306 Black-owned bookstores across the U.S., & a new national directory is helping readers find & support them. www.nab2.org/directory

This comes at a crucial time as book bans & new legislation restricting certain titles continue to spread across the country.
Read More ow.ly/RGaS50YrUjM

Over a year later, Black families in Altadena are still displaced. What gives? Many Black families are still waiting to return home after the Eaton Fire ignited and ravaged Altadena for weeks in January 2025.

More than a year after the Eaton Fire, many Black families from #Altadena, California are still displaced.

Insurance delays, rebuilding hurdles, & rising costs are keeping families from returning home.

Read more about what’s at stake for this historic community.
ow.ly/fX4R50YqmIE

#housingjustice

On Episode 2 of the #HOPEinAction podcast, Treasure Sheppard shares strategies for pushing solutions back to the community when building collaborative initiatives. Watch part 1 of the Food Justice & Food Sovereignty episode to learn more ow.ly/onGX50YpKgM

#FoodJustice #FoodSovereignty#HealthEquity

We asked Americans how they felt about their interracial interactions. The answers may surprise you. | Brookings

Are Americans as divided on race as headlines suggest?

New research from The Brookings Institution and Gallup finds most Americans regularly engage in interracial friendships, workplaces, and even families — and report largely positive experiences.

The data may surprise you: ow.ly/JIfU50YoEig

Indigenous Peoples Push Back as Data Centers Expand Across North America – Intercontinental Cry From the boreal forests of northern Alberta to the deserts of West Texas, Indigenous peoples are pushing back against a wave of data center proposals across Tur

Indigenous communities across North America are pushing back as massive data centers expand onto their lands—raising concerns about water use, environmental harm, & sovereignty.

Resistance is growing as communities demand consent & justice. ow.ly/gaM650Yo9HO

IndigenousRights #EnvironmentalJustice

We’re excited to announce the release of part one of episode two of the HOPE in Action podcast: #FoodJustice & Sovereignty!

This episode dives into the power of community leadership, food justice, & the movement toward sovereignty in our food systems. www.nationalcollaborative.org/HopeInAction/

This #BlackHistoryMonth, we honor Septima Poinsette Clark — the educator who turned classrooms into catalysts for change. She empowered Black communities with literacy, voting rights & civic knowledge.

Her legacy reminds us that "literacy is liberation". May we always be encouraged by her work.

Dr. Gail Christopher will be the opening keynote speaker for this year’s Black Maternal Health Conference, “Women‘s Health Now: Innovations, Equity, and Whole-person care.”

Join the virtual event April 10-11. Register today: bmhc.vfairs.com/en/  
 
#BMHC2026 #BlackMaternalHealth #HealthEquity

Black Residents Win Key Ruling in ‘Cancer Alley’ Environmental Racism Case The lawsuit could force a jury to decide if turning Black communities into sacrifice zones is a legacy of slavery.

A fed. judge just allowed residents of Cancer Alley to move forward with a pollution lawsuit against officials in St. James Parish. The suit argues decades of land-use decisions in Louisiana concentrated toxic industry in majority-Black areas — violating their constitutional rights ow.ly/KoR550YiStR

We honor the life & legacy of Jesse Jackson—a towering figure in the Civil Rights Movement & a lifelong champion for justice, equity, & economic empowerment. His voice challenged the nation to live up to its highest ideals—& his work helped move it closer to that promise.

May we continue the work.

Black History at the Heart of America’s Story On the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, when some manipulate memory, a scholar calls for a new look at the past.

As we celebrate Black History Month, Dr. Gail Christopher reminds us that Black history isn’t a sidebar—it’s central to the American story.

In her latest piece, she calls us to honor the full truth of our shared history— and the contributions that shaped our democracy.

Read more: ow.ly/rlFk50Yh7y6

This Black History Month, we honor C.L.R. James (1901–1989) — historian, Pan-Africanist, and author of The Black Jacobins. He reshaped how we understand the Haitian Revolution and centered Black resistance in global history. His work still inspires movements for justice worldwide. #BlackHistoryMonth

New SAVE Act Bills Would Still Block Millions of Americans From Voting The “show your papers” requirement is an attack on the freedom to vote.

New versions of the #SAVEAct would require proof of citizenship (like a passport or birth certificate) to register to vote. Over 21M Americans don’t have these documents readily available—potentially blocking millions from voting.

Read more from the Brennan Center ow.ly/Lss950Ye2jS

#VotingRights

Virtual Town Hall 2025: Ensuring Safety and Security in Communities Today (Panel 3) YouTube video by National Collaborative for Health Equity

During the NCHE Town Hall: Ensuring Safety and Security in Communities Today, Dirk Butler, Chief Program Officer at NAF, shared how today’s youth give him hope for the future through their leadership and commitment to safer communities.

Watch More: youtu.be/XZaCUe_I2c8?...

#YouthLeadership #Safety

“When the community tells you that your work is helping them heal, it’s a reminder that purpose-led artistry is bigger than us. It’s about creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and empowered.” — Mahoganee Amiger

Catch this powerful moment on the #HOPEinAction podcast! ow.ly/8PTl50Y9qPH

How Racism Costs Everyone : Fresh Air Four years ago, Heather McGhee examined a question at the heart of American life: Why do so many Americans believe that progress for one group means loss for another? She traveled the country talking ...

In "The Sum of Us," Heather McGhee explores the dangerous myth that progress for one group means loss for another. During her powerful MLK Day convo with Tonya Mosley, she highlights voices from factory workers to scholars, reflecting on unity over division. Listen now: ow.ly/ajnM50Y8WHE

Federal judge restores thousands of Virginians' voting rights in historic ruling - ACLU of Virginia “Virginia’s government has blatantly broken the law for more than a century by disenfranchising everyone with a felony conviction, disproportionately affecting Black and Brown Virginians,” said ACLU-V...

A federal judge restored voting rights to thousands of Virginians, challenging a discriminatory felony disenfranchisement system and strengthening our democracy.

🔗 Read more: ow.ly/TMG650Y7Elp

For similar stories, check out the NCHE Bulletin. www.nationalcollaborative.org/weekly-bulletin/

Voices of Healing: Generations of Community & Change

Held in honor of the #NationalDayOfRacialHealing, UMBC’s TRHT Center brought together national leaders, community artists, and West Baltimore youth to move racial healing from reflection to action.

#VoicesOfHealing #RacialHealing #HealthEquity

HOPE in Action — an NCHE Podcast

“Art is not just decoration—it’s the infrastructure of care… helping communities reclaim their health and well-being.” — April Fitzpatrick, founder of Pineapples with Purpose

Tune in to hear how art fuels healing justice & health equity. ow.ly/oX8l50Y51nv

NCHE Town Hall: Healing and Relationship Building (Panel 2) YouTube video by National Collaborative

NCHE Virtual Town Hall – Panel 2 Discussion
Leaders & advocates discuss how healing, trust, and relationship-building are essential to interrupt cycles of harm and support recovery in communities of color.

Watch the panel:
🔗 youtu.be/A0LaWj6tUis?...

#CommunityHealing #PublicSafety #HealingJustice

Minnesotans strike to protest ICE surge in state: ‘No work, no school, no shopping’ Organizers demand ICE leave state and agency be investigated for constitutional violations

Communities across Minnesota organized a powerful “economic blackout” — no work, no school, no shopping — to protest the recent surge of federal Immigration & Customs Enforcement activity in the state.

This is how you band together as a community to push for equity & justice! ow.ly/Vwr450Y1W4n

On the 10th anniversary of the #NationalDayOfRacialHealing, NCHE launches HOPE in Action, a new podcast series advancing healing justice & health equity. Episode 1 focuses on the power of arts & culture.

Listen now: ow.ly/Yqju50XZTyT

#HOPEinAction #NDORH #HealingJustice #HealthEquity

Register Here: shrivertrhtcampuscenter.org

Today we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by recommitting to his call for justice. His legacy reminds us that progress requires persistence, and that we must never give up the fight for justice and equity.

#MLKDay #RacialEquity #HealthEquity #CivilRights

At the NCHE Virtual Town Hall, “Ensuring Safety & Security in Communities Today,” MD Delegate Melissa Wells shared impactful strategies from Baltimore to build safer, more resilient neighborhoods.

Watch Panel One & explore more resources:
www.nationalcollaborative.org/town-hall-en...
#publicsafety

Pittsburgh Rep. Summer Lee pushes federal bill to fight AI bias If passed, the reintroduced legislation would hold companies accountable for algorithms that make unfair, life-altering decisions, lawmakers said.

New legislation led by Rep. Summer Lee aims to curb AI discrimination in hiring, housing, lending, and more, pushing for transparency, accountability, and civil rights protections as AI use expands.

🔗 technical.ly/civics/summe...

🌺 Hawaiʻi Kuʻu Home Aloha 🌺
Join this annual summit honoring Native Hawaiian history, culture, and community healing through learning, ceremony, and connection. Open to all and rooted in aloha ʻāina and pilina.

📅 Jan 17–22
📍 UH Mānoa & Online
🔗 manoa.hawaii.edu/nhpol/hawaii...

Live updates: ICE agent’s killing of woman in Minneapolis stokes tension over immigration crackdown | CNN Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is preparing the state National Guard for possible deployment after a woman was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Follow for live news updates.

The presence of ICE in our communities is unsafe and does not improve people’s lives. The fatal shooting in Minneapolis shows how these operations create fear, trauma, and harm, not safety. Communities deserve accountability and real solutions.

🔗 ow.ly/VvyN50XTuvl

Save the Date | National Day of Racial Healing

Join UMBC’s Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation Center for “Voices of Healing: Generations of Community & Change, ”a live online conversation on racial healing, youth leadership & shared humanity.

📩 Info: udayjoshi@umbc.edu
📌 RSVP required

#TRHT