December marks the final month of FLOURISH’s first cohort of the Community Leaders Cabinet (CLC). Since spring 2019, nearly 30 community members have given their perspectives, ideas and time to make St. Louis a better place for Black moms, babies and families.
“When we introduced the CLC, it was a complete shift from how this type of work is typically done,” said Lora Gulley, director of community mobilization and advocacy at Generate Health. “Many initiatives include gathering community feedback, but in our case, the community is actually leading the work. They deeply understand the challenges Black families are facing because they experience them too. By sharing their experiences, they have helped to shape how our entire region thinks about solutions – and I’m so grateful for their passion, creativity and unrelenting commitment to a better future for Black families.”
The first CLC cohort represented many of the zip codes with the highest infant mortality rates. The CLC members spent several months preparing for their role. They participated in trainings on topics such as racial equity, trauma awareness and advocacy. They were integral in determining FLOURISH’s priorities, identifying the solutions that can make the biggest impact, and deciding how we will allocate funding to organizations that can address those priorities. They also led their own initiatives to help Black families. For example, they collected diapers, fresh fruit and vegetables, and hygiene items to assemble care packages for families struggling during the pandemic.
“I’m proud that we’ve created a model where community members can amplify their voices, make decisions and foster relationships for the future,” said Alecia Deal, CLC member. “I believe engaging parents and community members can make a big impact in improving conditions for Black families.”
More than half of the members of the first CLC cohort have chosen to continue to support FLOURISH. Some will be Vitality Fellows, responsible for mentoring the next CLC and planning outreach to continue to mobilize the community. Others will continue as Vitality Champions, serving as a FLOURISH ambassador in their community to engage their own network of family, friends and neighbors in FLOURISH events.
We extend our deepest thanks to the men and women who served in the first CLC cohort. They have laid the groundwork so big changes can be made for Black moms, babies and families. You can see a full list of the first CLC cohort members here.
FLOURISH will begin recruiting community members for its second CLC cohort later this winter. If you or someone you know might be interested in serving on the CLC, please contact Lora Gulley at lgulley@generatehealthstl.org.
