{"id":8351,"date":"2023-07-07T18:26:19","date_gmt":"2023-07-07T18:26:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hria.org\/?p=8351"},"modified":"2024-03-28T15:15:49","modified_gmt":"2024-03-28T15:15:49","slug":"building-power","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hria.org\/2023\/07\/07\/building-power\/","title":{"rendered":"Building Power to Achieve Healthier and More Just Communities"},"content":{"rendered":"

Power lies at the heart of health and racial justice, shaping our society’s structures.<\/strong> It determines access to resources, who makes decisions, who thrives, and who is left behind. Those who hold formal power within a system, such as elected or appointed officials, can leverage, shift, or build power. Historically, those \u201coutside\u201d of a governmental system, such as community residents, advocates, and community-based organizations, have less access to the formal power needed to create impact. Acknowledging these power imbalances is the first step toward transformative change.<\/p>\n

Advocacy serves as a catalyst for building power within communities, challenging oppressive systems, and advancing equity. Significant amounts of federal, private, and philanthropic dollars are available to invest in the resources that address systemic disparities, support community-led initiatives, and enable community-led decision-making. Shifting power to those impacted leads to healthier and more equitable communities.<\/p>\n

This post introduces the concept of power, the importance of building sustained power within communities, and the example of using federal funding to support community transformation efforts.<\/p>\n

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Figure 1: Expressions of Power. Source: Foundations of Community Engagement. Based on the Sustaining Community blog. www.engagementforequity.org.<\/p><\/div>\n

Defining Power and Its Implications for Health and Racial Justice<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Martin Luther King, Jr. stated, \u201cPower, properly understood, is the ability to achieve purpose.\u201d Power is an inherent element of society, influencing our lives in profound ways. Power influences our institutions, systems, and policies. The many expressions of power, as discussed in the Sustaining Community<\/a> blog and reflected in the Foundations of Community Engagement<\/a>, help us to imagine power\u2019s potential to achieve just or harmful outcomes. Health and social inequities including access to quality healthcare, education, employment opportunities, and safe environments are the result of power being used to oppress groups of people. Oppression, by nature, benefits one group over another through systematic subjugation. Figure 1 calls this \u201cpower over,\u201d and states it is built on control and fear. \u00a0On the other hand, every individual holds the \u201cpower to\u201d act in any number of ways and possesses the \u201cpower within\u201d to imagine change and improve on the present. Effective advocacy that builds power is the expression of \u201cpower with,\u201d the power that emerges when people come together and share resources and ideas toward a common cause. It is this \u201cpower with\u201d — this collective action –that holds the greatest potential to address the root causes of health inequities and lead to systems transformation.<\/p>\n

Advocacy\u2019s Role in Building Power<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This post is inspired by the Center for Evaluation Innovation and the California Endowment \u201cAdvocacy that Builds Power: Transforming Policies and Systems for Health and Racial Equity<\/em><\/a>” <\/em>report. \u00a0\u201cPolicy wins,\u201d a concept from this report, refers to traditionally celebrated indicators of success in public health and social justice such as securing funding, passing legislation, or changing local regulations. These wins alone often fail to address the systemic conditions underlying health and social disparities. They are also susceptible to attacks and reversals. However, \u201cpower-wins,\u201d \u2013 as introduced in Advocacy that Builds Power \u2013 <\/em>goes a step further. They involve sustained efforts to equitably meet the needs of impacted communities<\/em>. Power wins are developed and informed by impacted communities, centered in strategic planning, grounded in addressing root causes and inequity. Power wins are characterized by continuous<\/em> effort. While policy wins are certainly important, it is critical to examine and pursue advocacy strategies that are required for long-term change and systems transformation.<\/p>\n

A significant avenue for facilitating community advocacy and power wins is through federal funding initiatives. An example of this is the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). ARPA has the potential to serve as a powerful tool in addressing health and racial disparities by emphasizing and demonstrating the value and impact of engaging residents in decision making about community investments. ARPA POWER<\/a> (People Organizing and Working for Equitable Recovery), an 王中王六合彩资料 initiative supported by the Barr Foundation, invests in power-building advocacy efforts that may lead to short-term \u201cwins\u201d and pave the way to sustained efforts that equitably meet the needs of impacted communities. As the Advocacy that Builds Power report explains, \u201c[w]hen organizing is not at the center of the work, wins can be achieved, but the amount of power expansion that occurs might be limited.\u201d<\/em> ARPA POWER raises awareness and provides direct support to grassroots efforts, enabling communities to shape public investments supported by ARPA dollars and drive meaningful change.<\/p>\n

For instance, in areas such as the Berkshires and the City of Everett, 王中王六合彩资料 has allocated financial resources, dedicated staff time, and offered infrastructure support, all while sustaining long-term organizing and advocacy efforts.<\/p>\n