Partnered with seven communities to significantly advance local and statewide policy

In partnership with the St. Joseph Community Partnership Fund, we have facilitated the Intersections Initiative since 2017. Guided by input from residents and key stakeholders, the community partnerships advanced health equity and racial justice, often by addressing intersecting determinants of health such as housing, education, economic and workforce development, immigration, community trauma, and civic engagement. At its core, the Intersections Initiative was about building the capacity of community partners to work upstream for the long haul, with the formal implementation period ending in late 2021. In addition to building the capacity of backbone organizations and coalitions, engaging community residents in their own power, and planning for long-term sustainability, the partnerships made significant contributions to advancing local and statewide policy including: Securing ARPA dollars to be allocated to community-level health priorities by submitting letters, op-eds, and having direct conversations with county supervisors; Helping to guide equitable distribution of vaccines in high-need communities; Developing a community-centered policy platform to address disproportionate COVID-19 impacts on students of color; Submitting collective support letters for housing policy priorities, especially eviction moratoriums; and Advocating for state resources for workforce development at the local level. This work was supported by the St. Joseph Community Partnership Fund.