Session 4- Influencing Change: A Quick Guide to Effective Advocacy

Join the Grand Rapids African American Health Institute for an advocacy workshop facilitated by Jayme Vosovic of the Michigan League for Public Policy and discussion with City of Grand Rapids Commissioner Milinda Ysasi and County Commissioner Robert S. Womack. We’ll explore the state budget, different advocacy tips and the power of relationship building for advocacy.

Session 3 – The Power of Our Voices | A Candid Roundtable with Women of Color

Click here for the Facebook event listing

Not on Facebook? You can watch the live video with your browser at https://www.facebook.com/graahi

The GRAAHI Health Education and Equity Series is aimed to create greater awareness and resources around health equity. Each event will feature local and national experts who will have a candid discussion and answer your questions.

Join us Thursday, March 25th as Vanessa Greene, CEO, and our guests take a deep dive into COVID, women’s health disparities and mental health.

Panelists include:

• Carletta Counts, Superintendent at West Village Academy
• Alexis Stanton, Ph.D. student at University of Virginia
• Koaster Brim, Clinical Social Worker at Ascension Health
• Lisa Lowery, MD, Adolescent Medicine at Spectrum Health

 The Grand Rapids African American Health Institute (GRAAHI) and CEO are now aided by a consultative council intent on growing the non-profit organization in fighting racial and ethnic healthcare disparities in West Michigan.

Chief Executive Officer Vanessa Greene formed a group of 17 people to GRAAHI’s newly formed Advisory Council. The diverse group is drawn from all sectors to tackle deeply rooted issues in the local Black and Latinx communities to achieve healthier outcomes, she said.

The Advisory Council is chaired by Ken James, Director of Inclusion for the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, and Leon Hendrix, Communications Lead for Spectrum Health.

Other Advisory Council members include:

• Robyn Afrik, Director, Ottawa County Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Teresa Branson, Deputy Administrative Health Officer, Kent County Health Department
• Cassonya Carter, Sr. Academic Advisor, Grand Valley State University, Kirkhof College of Nursing
• Kenyatta Hill, Principal of the University Preparatory Academy,Grand Rapids Public Schools
• Dr. Peter Knoester, Anesthesiologist, Anesthesia Practice Consultants
• Dr. Lisa Lowery, Section Chief Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine, Spectrum Health and Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, MSU College of Human Medicine  
• Tonja Moyer, Director of Performance Improvement, Metro Health University of Michigan Health Metro Health Hospital
• Christine Mwangi, Director of Fund Development, Kent District Library
• Dr. Bernice Patterson, Founder and CEO, Infinity Consultation Group
• Elisa Perez-Arellano, Founder and CEO, Inclusive Empowerment Services
• Ashley René Lee, Vice President, Strategic Communications, Grand Rapids Community Foundation
• Kareem Scales, Manager of Innovation & Technology, Greater Grand Rapids NAACP
• Vernella Shackleford, Retiree, State of Michigan Corrections
• Misti Stanton, Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Mercantile Bank
• Beca Velazquez-Publes, Executive Director, Urban Core Collective

The Advisory Council is targeting the bolder future envisioned by the organization, and is to provide valuable feedback for GRAAHI’s leadership team and staff, Greene said.  The goal is to advance GRAAHI’s mission of dismantling health disparities through community outreach, advocacy, research and education (CARE). 

Greene, who previously was at Hope College for 16 years in leadership positions focused on fostering diversity and inclusion, joined GRAAHI in November 2020. GRAAHI’s seven-member Executive Board is chaired by Paul Doyle, the founder and CEO of Inclusive Performance Strategies.

January 11, 2021

Dear community,

Like many of you , I have been engaged in numerous conversations about the  insurrection that took place at the national capitol last week.  And like many of you, I ache for this country.  As I watched the scenes of the angry and vicious mobs, I felt terrorized. People from all backgrounds, elected officials, judges, lawyers, teachers, business executives, and yes-christians engaged in this subversive behavior. It took me back to the Jim Crow era when lynching black bodies was an occasion to celebrate white supremacy.  Why are we still here?  The detrimental psychological impact of mental fatigue and racial trauma increases with incidents such as what happened last Wednesday. Since the terrorist attack on the nation’s capital, I have received numerous phone calls from family, friends and community members expressing concerns about their health and safety.  It is painful to see history repeating itself.  When will it stop? 

 In the past year, it feels like we have been pushed 10 steps backwards. Yet, I am not  not writing today to make a political statement about systemic racism or white supremacy — we all know the magnitude of this problem. Rather, I am writing to urge this nation to wake up and commit to fighting for peace and unity — for sanity and healing. There is nothing to be gained with anger, division and hatred.  We cannot win by fighting against each other.

We are all tired and sickened by this chaos and rivalry between races and political parties. It is leading our nation into a war zone and unimaginable mental and physical health crisis. Incidents like these are direct and vicarious trigger stressers. Every day, we are reminded of the horror of covid that is claiming the lives of over 3,000 people in our nation daily. At the same time, we are dealing with racial and political dissension that is literally killing people.  The cost of this anger, hostility and division is deadly and it needs to stop.  Maintaining a healthy and constructive attitude and approach to these situations takes incredible strength and effort, but we can and must do it for our own physical and mental health and the health of our nation. 

We expect more and deserve more from all of our leaders and elected officials. We challenge each of them to commit to the oath they made to protect and serve this nation in truth and justice.  Their words and actions matter.  We charge them to stand for peace,  unity and healing.

We need to pray, practice humility, die to our own self interest and beliefs; turn away from wrongdoing and seek God for forgiveness, wisdom and direction. He is our way forward to healing, peace and unity. As a Christian woman, I beseech you to follow the path of Christ, who said  in II Chronicles 7:14, “if my people, who are called by my name would humble themselves and pray; and seek my face; and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and will heal their land”.  My friends, this is the path forward.  

In the Spirit of Peace, Unity and Healing

Vanessa Greene, CEO

Dear Community Member,

In November 2020, I began my role as the chief executive officer of the Grand Rapids African American Health Institute. I am honored to work with the GRAAHI team, board and community. (Click here to read my full bio on our website.) As we’re all aware, 2020 has been an unprecedented year of pain and adjustment as we have lost almost 300,000 people to COVID. Noble efforts to mitigate the spread have created economic and educational impacts that will take much time to undo. The Black and Latinx communities have been especially hard hit, experiencing infection and death 1.5 times more than whites. These startling statistics are not new to us. Our Health Equity Index has informed us that health disparities are improving, but not keeping pace with health advancements overall. For example, In Kent county today, research shows that African Americans have a 50% higher mortality rate of heart disease and black babies have a 50% higher mortality rate than their white counterparts.

The physical, mental and economic impact of COVID has devastated millions of people in our nation and has disproportionately harmed the African American community and other vulnerable populations. More than ever, we must be dedicated in our service, advocacy and support. I am excited about this new role and take this charge very seriously. 
With your support, we can continue and expand our mission of CARE for our community. Please give what you can and consider making it a monthly gift to provide foundational and operational support throughout the year.Thank you for taking the time to read through this appeal. This is a pivotal time for our nation, and for our organization. As we come together in unity, I see great promise for transformative and sustainable growth, but it will take work and we are ready. We are honored to have you join us on this journey.

Be well,

Vanessa Greene

Chief Executive Officer

Read more…..

https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Welcome-our-New-CEO-and-Learn-about-our-Vision-for-2021-.html?soid=1132346254209&aid=2bg0rRNyLeE

West Michigan-based African American Health Organization Hires CEO After Regional Search

The Grand Rapids African American Health Institute announced today the hiring of Vanessa Greene as CEO to lead the organization as it continues to address racial and ethnic healthcare inequities within West Michigan. 

October 2020, Grand Rapids, Michigan – Grand Rapids African American Health Institute (GRAAHI)—a leading national organization devoted to achieving healthcare parity for African Americans through advocacy, education, and research—has announced the hiring of Vanessa Greene as its Chief Executive Officer. For the past 16 years, Greene has held leadership positions focused on fostering diversity and inclusion at Hope College. Leveraging her years of experience Greene will bring her leadership and strategic skills to the organization and drive forward its goal of health care parity in West Michigan and beyond. 

“GRAAHI’s vision is to ensure that equitable access to healthcare within West Michigan is available to all its residents despite the color of one’s skin,” said Paul T. Doyle, CEO of Inclusive Performance Strategies and GRAAHI Board Chair. “We are thrilled to welcome Vanessa to GRAAHI and look forward to building upon that vision as she takes on this leadership role. Now, more than ever, it is important to continue to highlight the systemic inequities and racial health disparities in our community. As we continue to advocate for African Americans and communities of color, we see the reach and impact of GRAAHI will only be strengthened through this transition.”

Amidst COVID-19, GRAAHI has been a vocal leader calling attention to the racial health disparities and inequities brought about by the virus. GRAAHI has highlighted the ways in which the black community has been disproportionately affected and has called on sponsors of COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials to run more inclusive and diverse studies. 

“We need to continue to recognize and highlight the disproportionate impact that COVID-19 has had on the African American community,” said Vanessa Greene, GRAAHI CEO. “Throughout the pandemic, GRAAHI has done an excellent job acting as an ally for the community, both providing resources and calling for change. GRAAHI is well-positioned to continue those efforts as national and global leaders of health research, education, support, and advocacy. I am eager, ready, and prepared to lead the charge.”

In her previous role as Associate Dean of Students and Director of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion at Hope College, Greene was responsible for strategic vision, planning, and the implementation of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, with a focus on the mental and physical well-being of students, faculty, and staff of color. During this time, Greene also chaired a 12-member racial equity steering committee to bring greater awareness to the issues of systemic and structural racism and establish tangible, actionable, and measurable goals toward racial healing, equity, and institutional change.

“Research has shown that West Michigan is one of the lowest producers of health care providers of color,” said Greene. “Communities of color continue to distrust the health care system, which contributes to the ongoing disparities in treatment and prevention. I see infinite opportunities for GRAAHI to change this narrative and continue to make a difference within the community.”

Greene will transition into this role with 35 plus years of experience as well as with a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration and a Bachelor’s of Science in Criminal Justice, from Grand Valley State University. Greene is also a certified diversity consultant, grant writer, and intergroup dialogue facilitator. 

GRAAHI was formed in 2002, as a result of overwhelming data and evidence that suggested the vast differences in healthcare outcomes for African Americans. The Kent County Health Department, State of Michigan, and the National government provided staggering data showcasing the need for intentional effort and attention toward addressing racial and ethnic inequities in health. Since its birth, GRAAHI has continued to grow within this space, working to eliminate such inequities and shedding light on injustice within our community and healthcare systems. 

Being a father isn’t easy. And fathering during COVID19 has become even more complicated and demanding. 

When dads are involved in their childrens’ lives, they are more confident, get better grades and avoid risky behaviors. The Strong Beginnings Strong Fathers initiative seeks to strengthen families by supporting the father’s active role in their childrens’ lives.

We are happy to announce staffing changes to our Strong Fathers program that will provide even more outreach, support and guidance to fathers in Kent County during these extraordinary times.

For almost 5 years, William Burress has been supporting dads through his role as Fatherhood Community Health Worker, doing much of the grass-roots outreach and case management. He has now been promoted to Fatherhood Program Coordinator and will refocus and expand the program to deepen engagement in the Black and LatinX communities of Kent County. “We are seeing more need among our fatherhood community due to COVID19 and the resulting economic impact of the crisis,” said William. “There are four major determinants to health — employment, housing, transportation and education. We are refocusing our efforts to provide resources related to all of these major health indicators.”

To accomplish this mission, and to drive greater connection to the LatinX community, Maximiliano Velasco has joined the team as Fatherhood Coordinator as part of the Padres Fuertes programming from Strong Beginnings.

Maximiliano worked as a family coach with the Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative (ELNC) program and was a former intern at the Strong Beginnings program. He is currently pursuing a degree in social work at Cornerstone University. As a single father himself, Maximiliano knows the struggles firsthand, “As a father I have asked myself, ‘who teaches me to be a dad when my own dad wasn’t there?’and it reinforces the need for good connections and support among men in our community.”  

The Strong Beginnings, Strong Fathers program primarily serves fathers in Kent County, MI, who have children under the age of two. But both William and Maximiliano are committed to supporting all dads who need help. This includes:

• Education on topics such as men’s health, healthy relationships, and infant care
• Ideas on how they can support their partners during pregnancy and post-partum
• Information on parenting and child development
• Help with getting resources such as transportation, job training, food, legal advice, baby supplies and medical care
• Access to counseling for stress and depression
• Help build life skills such as communication, budgeting, goal-setting and resilience

To find out more about the program, to enroll or to support it with a donation, please visit our website by clicking this link.