Impact Stories

We’re a coalition of local health departments
on a mission to make health equity & racial justice a reality.
See how we help create systemic change.

Black Breastfeeding Week: Celebrating Community Bonds, Breaking Barriers for Birth Equity


August 25-31, 2023, marks the 11th annual Black Breastfeeding Week, a time to recognize the importance of breastfeeding in improving health outcomes for Black mothers and infants. Cherished Futures for Black Moms & Babies (Cherished Futures), a joint initiative of the Public Health Alliance of Southern California, Communities Lifting Communities and the Hospital Association of Southern California, in collaboration with Antelope Valley Medical Center (AVMC), is leading the way in greater Los Angeles to address preventable barriers and disparities in breastfeeding support. Over the past year, Cherished Futures’ work with five participating hospitals (AVMC, Miller Children’s and Women’s Hospital Long Beach, St. Francis Medical Center, Torrance Memorial Medical Center and UCLA Health) is working to improve birthing experiences and outcomes for Black moms in several areas, including breastfeeding. AVMC’s efforts have resulted in a striking increase in Black exclusive breastfeeding rates — from roughly 40% to 70%. Additionally, lactation consultations with Black patients have risen from 30% to a complete 100%.
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Read our thought leadership here.

Advancing Environmental Justice Through Data: An In-depth Look at the Healthy PIaces Index Extreme Heat Edition

Climate change, the most pressing public health crisis of our era, is impacting communities unequally. Prosperity starts with place: a healthy community is a resilient community, and a resilient community is a healthy one.

Now, more than ever, there is a need for comprehensive, equitable data and innovative tools to guide climate resiliency building efforts, like the Public Health Alliance of Southern California's Healthy Places Index Extreme Heat Edition (HPI: EHE.) Developed in partnership with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Luskin Center for Innovation, HPI: EHE visualizes neighborhood-level heat impacts and community resilience factors.
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HPI: EHE allows community organizations, government entities, schools, tribal organizations, community members, and other key stakeholders to scan their communities and understand which areas and populations could be most affected by heat now, and in the years to come.  
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Read our thought leadership here.

A Love Letter to Democracy

In recent years, we've seen our democracy tested in ways that were once unthinkable. The waves of challenges have come both directly and indirectly. This shows us that democracy is not an inevitable condition, but a precious gift. A gift we must hold dear and fight to preserve. As we celebrate the birth of our nation, it offers space to commit ourselves to face these truths, learn from them, and strengthen civic engagement. These actions will nurture and strengthen our democracy.    Civic muscle and belonging—is recognized as a vital condition of health and well-being by federal agencies like the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health.
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Read our thought leadership here.

Reflections on the Expiration of COVID-19 Emergencies: Public Health Charts a Path to Equity

Public Health Emergencies expire May 11th during AAPI Heritage Month; just weeks before the anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, we are placed at a critical point in time.  We must seize this moment of long-term recovery to reinvent our public health systems rooted in lessons learned. Addressing racism as a public health crisis means embedding community-led, equity-focused solutions to heal historic social, emotional, and economic scars. We must also ensure this transformation is driven by the needs and priorities of those most impacted by inequities.
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Read our thought leadership here.

Spotlighting Birth Equity: The Ongoing Call for Transformative, Systemic Change during National Minority Health Month

April is National Minority Health Month a time to reflect on the persistence of racism in our healthcare system, which continues to lead to preventable Black maternal deaths and near misses, creating a cascade of trauma and loss in communities.  National Minority Health Month stands as an urgent call to action, demanding a collective immediate, and sustained commitment to eradicate the long-standing crisis of Black maternal health disparities.
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Read our thought leadership here.

Healthy Places Index™ Utilized in Creative Corps Pilot Program to Promote Health Equity Through Art Across California

The California Creative Corps Pilot Program is the first in the United States, launched in response to inequities exacerbated during the pandemic. Its $60 million in one-time general funds will be spread among 58 counties to carry out artistic projects that increase social justice, public health, energy-water-climate, and civic engagement awareness.

The organizations and artists who receive grants must demonstrate they have solid and continuous connections with communities that fall within the lowest quartile of the HPI to support health equity efforts.

In an interview, the California Arts Council’s executive director, Jonathan Moscone, told the Alliance he’s encouraging other agencies to use HPI for equitable investments, noting Creative Corps as a pilot for using HPI to transform all future CAC grant programs.

Read the whole story here.

The Importance of Protecting Farmworkers From Extreme Heat

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How Public Parks Help Us All

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Food Security During COVID-19

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