March 2024

The Equitable Neighborhoods Initiative has been busy advancing health equity around our state! Read further to learn about what we’ve been up to this quarter.

Statewide Youth Summits Cultivate Community Leaders

What a refreshing start to the new year! ENI Youth Community Councils are dedicated to enhancing the health and quality of life of their communities. These inspiring young leaders meet regularly to create a plan to inspire healthy living for their generation. In January, the YCCs gathered at regional Youth Summits to connect with students from other schools and share their ideas with community leaders. The energy and creativity we witnessed were truly inspiring, and we can't wait to see these ideas come to life statewide.

We extend a heartfelt thank you to our dedicated team, partners, and these amazing students for making the youth summits a success! Special appreciation goes to Troy University, the University of South Alabama, Auburn University, Bevill State Community College, and Gadsden State Community College for hosting our lively events. Together, we hosted 5 youth summits, with 17 YCCs participating, 32 innovative project ideas presented, and over 300 participants!

Learn more about the youth summits he re.

Providing Hands-On Health Communication Experience for University of Alabama Students

ENI had an exciting collaboration with a class from the UA College of Communication & Information Sciences focused on health communications last semester. The course, called “Health and Social Networks,” explored how people, groups, and organizations communicate about health topics. Working closely with our partner communities, the ENI team helped identify pressing health issues. The students then put their skills to work, creating engaging and informative materials to raise awareness about these specific health concerns. From educational videos to a health fair held in one of our partner communities, the students poured their creativity and knowledge into these projects. Each group also developed a blog as a digital health resource, covering topics such as cancer prevention, mental health, and health insurance. Their dedication and innovative approaches have made a meaningful impact on these vital health topics.

February Team Retreat

In February, the ENI team met in Montevallo for a planning retreat. Together, the group discussed Mental Health First Aid certification training, healing zones, and sustainability of the program. The leadership team was also excited to announce that ENI is sponsoring a 100 Alabama Miles event kit for each of our partner communities. As always, getting to see the team in person was a positive, energizing experience!

Young leaders are the future of our communities. Dr. Hollie Cost, Assistant Vice President for Outreach & Public Service at Auburn University, is the former mayor of Montevallo. Under her tenure as mayor, the city launched a Jr. City Council. In the videos below, she shares strategies for engaging with youth.

Equipping Youth to Lead Change

Dr. Hollie Cost shares strategies for equipping youth for leadership in their communities. Dr. Cost provides examples and strategies to keep in mind when designing impactful programs for young people.

Engaging Youth as Health Leaders in their Communities

Dr. Hollie Cost highlights avenues for engaging youth as health leaders in their communities. Dr. Cost shares how young leaders can be catalysts for improving physical & mental health in their communities.

Living Rural on Purpose

By Gabrielle Lamplugh

ENI Community Liaison Emily Simpson has lived in Crossville, Alabama for her whole life. Emily shared that this northeast Alabama community of a couple of thousand residents has greatly influenced who she is today. While many young adults long to move away from their hometown, she couldn’t be more proud to call Crossville home... Read more.

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

Breaking Barriers: Empowering Individuals with Disabilities Through Employment

By Braden Hopkins

We hold a lot of misconceptions about people with developmental disabilities. ENI Goodwater Community Liaison Tracy Burton founded the Central Alabama Reach Out Center to help solve this problem. To help us understand the importance of employment opportunities... Read more.

At the Juneteenth ENI kickoff in Prichard, Dr. Earl Suttle is laughing as he talks to a Prichard community member. The community member is wearing a Juneteenth Freedom Day t-shirt and holding a sign that says "I am so smart," part of an exercise Dr. Suttle does to engage with communities. In the background there is a bouncy slide, tents with tables, and lots of people. Some people in the background are holding other signs part of the same exercise.

Empowering Alabama’s Youth As Community Health Leaders

By Gabrielle Lamplugh

Youth engagement has been integral to the success of the Equitable Neighborhoods Initiative and a focus of the project from its earliest days. We recognize the role the next generation will play in shaping the future of community health. And young people are already an essential part of improving health... Read more.

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month is a time to celebrate the abilities and achievements of individuals with developmental disabilities. It's a time to promote understanding, acceptance, and inclusion for all. To discover resources and services in Alabama for individuals with disabilities, watch our video featuring Ms. Crystal Smith, Outreach Coordinator for Auburn University’s College of Education. Explore more health equity resources at www.enialabama.org/resources. As we honor this month, let’s embrace the fact that everyone brings unique talents and perspectives to the table, enriching our communities with diversity.

Check out these recent events in the ENI communities!

Healing Zone Tree Planting

Healing zone tree planting days are in full spring! ENI healing zones will be an outdoor space that supports physical, mental, emotional and social health. Volunteers in each of our partner communities are hard at work planting native species where the healing zones will be. We can't wait to see how these plants thrive in a caring community!

Stephanie Khat, Dr. Earl Suttle, and LaSheryl Dotch pose for a picture on the street in front of some downtown buildings in Prichard. LaSheryl is wearing a t-shirt that says "Protect the Future" and Stephanie is wearing a t-shirt from the Alabama Department of Public Health.

Health Equity Action Planning

Each ENI community is creating a health equity action plan to address community health concerns. These plans focus on identifying major community health issues, goals, and action steps. ENI health equity plans identify people and organizations that will help accomplish each goal. The process involves the community at every step. Pictured is the Goodwater Advisory Group reviewing their health equity plan.

Learning Digital Health Literacy

Electronic sources like websites and apps are important for access to health information. But being able to understand that information and use it to make health choices is just as important. That's digital health literacy. The ENI team understands the value of digital health literacy. In the photo, Community Liaisons Kim-Lien Tran (Bayou La Batre) and Stephanie Khat (Coden) take part in a training on digital health literacy. The University of Alabama at Birmingham and the USA Mitchell Cancer Institute hosted the training.

Graphic reads connect with Equitable Neighborhoods Initiative online

Find us on the ENI Website and Social Media Platforms

Be sure to check out our website and follow us on social media for more information and the project's progress: enialabama.org

Funding Acknowledgement: The Equitable Neighborhoods Initiative is supported by funds made available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support, under 1 NH75OT000104-01-00. Disclaimer: The content of the Equitable Neighborhoods Initiative are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of or endorsement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.