Uncategorized

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. 

March 26, 2020

Dear Community Members,

In a matter of weeks, our way of life has been upended and disrupted. The COVID-19 virus continues to spread throughout the United States, changing the paradigm. 

In order to flatten the curve, we’ve been asked to “socially distance” and “shelter in place.” This has affected our jobs, our connection to family and resources, and our freedom. Let me reiterate that these actions are necessary and prudent in order to slow the rate of transmission.

Today, there are more than 2,856 confirmed cases in Michigan, with 41 being reported in Kent County alone. Over the next few weeks, we’re likely to see the numbers climb as more testing is available.

As our health systems distribute messages of hygiene and prevention, particular concern about how it is affecting vulnerable communities is rising. Given health inequities, we want to ensure that all community members receive high-quality care in order to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. Black people face disproportionate health issues when compared to whites. Our community is at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses, which makes Blacks vulnerable to more serious symptoms. 

Information about COVID-19 is coming at light speed from all types of sources – local, state and Federal government, news outlets, social media and hearsay. It can be difficult to know what information to trust and what methods to employ to protect yourself and your family.

To that end, we at GRAAHI, have compiled a list of resources that we feel provide trusted and reliable information that is updated and vetted. This includes information on the disease and access to resources for jobs, housing, healthcare and food. You can find the information our website at:

Resources & Tools

We continue to work with healthcare systems in West Michigan to identify the special concerns of our community and help them gear their outreach and services to meet those needs.

Over the next few weeks, we will share reliable links to health information on our website and in social media. If you have specific needs or questions, don’t hesitate to contact us at info@graahi.org.

While this challenge seems daunting, we are empowered knowing that our community is strong and supportive and that we will rise to the challenges that come our way.

Take good care,

The GRAAHI Team

Click on the link to read our team updates for November 2019

https://myemail.constantcontact.com/News-and-Updates-from-our-Team.html?soid=1132346254209&aid=HjS7i0OZy4w