Strengthening Public Health
as a Catalyst for Social Justice
In 2024, a group of non-governmental public health organizations—brought together with early leadership from Health in Partnership—united to form the Public Health for Community Power (PH4CP) Coalition. Our mission is clear: to stand in solidarity with community power-building organizations and grassroots movements, channeling our expertise—be it research, analysis, or advocacy—into fights for systemic change.
I have changed the way I talk with friends and family about the roles that public health can play in promoting community power as well.
Historically, public health has been intertwined with social justice movements, championing transformative societal shifts. PH4CP is a revival of this legacy, positioning public health professionals not as neutral observers but as active allies in the pursuit of equity and justice.
Our Coalition serves as a bridge, connecting public health organizations with community power-building campaigns. By offering our specialized skills and public health expertise, we aim to amplify the voices of those on the front lines, ensuring that health equity is not just an ideal but a reality for all communities. See this Health Affairs article to learn more about the background of the Coalition’s formation and the need it aimed to fill.
Our Vision:
A Just and Equitable Future
We envision a reimagined public health landscape—one that actively collaborates with community power-building organizations to champion social justice. In this future, public health harnesses its influence to propel movements targeting the political, social, environmental, and economic determinants of health equity and racial justice. We are committed to being integral partners in the collective journey toward transformative change.
We have built relationships and trust amongst our organizations – this is a big deal, considering public health traditionally has lots of turf, wars, and competition, etc.