Members of Stronger2, a partnership established in October 2021 to improve health literacy within local communities of color, convened on Thursday, October 27, for their first annual meeting. The partnership shared accomplishments, successes, and challenges of their work during the past year, and plans for the year ahead.
Millions of people of color in Fairfax reached by partnership activities
During the past year, Stronger2 partners hosted a wide variety of health literacy activities. Through their work coordinating learning circles, training classes, community event presentations, outreach, and more the partnership connected with African-American, African, Hispanic, and other people of color locally more than 3.2 million times.*
Stronger2 partners created safe spaces for health conversations
Through hosting culturally focused health education programs, Stronger2 partners created ‘safe spaces’ for people to discuss health issues that impact communities of color. For example, Stronger2 partner Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority hosts regular health training programs covering COVID-19 vaccination, flu and other topics around Fairfax. The trainings became conversation starters for African-American women to talk confidentially and honestly about health issues.
Public Health Youth Ambassador Program creating new generation of community health workers
Stronger2 partner Edu-Futuro is implementing the Fairfax County Health Department’s Public Health Youth Ambassador Program. Through the program, local high school students from the African, African-American and Hispanic communities are trained as community health workers, with a curriculum that involves learning in the classroom, field, family, and community. Youth Ambassador Program graduates received a certificate of completion from Morehouse School of Medicine’s High School Community Health Worker Program, a $500 scholarship, a laptop, medical equipment, and professional connections.
Amplifying accurate, timely health information
Through providing factual health information, in a culturally competent manner, the Stronger2 partners are debunking medical myths throughout the community.
“Information is more meaningful when it speaks to your culture and is shared by a trusted community voice,” said Mahadere Getachew, Stronger2 project manager. “This is a fundamental tenant of improving health literacy. Our partners have been offering culturally relevant, accurate health programming – whether it is an ‘Ask the Doctor’ learning session or at a community vaccine clinic.”
On the horizon: closing gaps and overcoming barriers
Stronger2 partners shared plans and strategies for the coming year. This included a continued focus on overcoming barriers to health care, increasing collaboration with Fairfax County Government agencies beyond the Health Department, and improving capacity to measure the impact being made in the community.
Get involved in Stronger2
Anyone interested in learning more about Stronger2 or getting involved in the partnership can visit the Stronger2 website for information, and email project manager Mahadere Getachew to get involved.
About Stronger2
Stronger Partnership, Stronger Community: Using Health Literacy to Increase Resilience
(Stronger2) brings together trusted community voices to foster culturally competent health literacy. The partnership is made possible through an $3.875 million award made to the Fairfax County Health Department from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH). The award is part of a $250 million two-year initiative to identify and implement best practices for improving health literacy to enhance COVID-19 vaccination and other mitigation practices among underserved populations. The Advancing Health Literacy (AHL) to Enhance Equitable Community Responses to COVID-19 initiative is part of the Biden/Harris Administration’s National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness. Additional information about Stronger2 initiatives can be found on the partnership’s website.
*Source: Data is compiled from Stronger2 partnership post-event surveys.