The All-In Cincinnati Equity Coalition is dedicated to empowering Black women and tackling racial disparities in health, housing, education, economic mobility and justice. Through promoting inclusivity, encouraging honest dialogue and prioritizing healing, the Coalition aims to eliminate racial inequities by pushing for policy reforms and enhancing the financial well-being of Black women in Hamilton County. Ultimately, the Coalition is working toward a better future for everyone.
Denisha Porter, Executive Director of All-In Cincinnati, says that this community-led Coalition is committed to promoting systemic change by amplifying Black women’s voices through involvement in local and regional initiatives to create more equitable and prosperous neighborhoods within Hamilton County.
“Equity goes beyond just fairness and social justice,” Porter says. “It’s a driving force for sustainable economic development.”
Highlighting All-In Cincinnati’s previous accomplishments in promoting equity throughout Hamilton County, Porter cites the importance of political action and building multi-sector partnerships. Examples of the coalition’s community organizing include supporting the salary history ban, endorsing Issue 7 (Cincinnati Preschool Promise), and Issue 17 (Transportation Levy).
Also, the Coalition partners with many local businesses and organizations and has accomplished the following:
The Kroger Company: Expanded access to a low-contact, convenient service allowing customers to shop online for groceries using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits or Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards and pick up their orders curbside at nearby Kroger stores.
All-In Cincinnati Radio Show: Launched their radio show in Spring 2023 to highlight the voices of Black women’s expertise and experiences in the five priority areas of health, education, housing, economic mobility and justice. To date, the radio show has cultivated over 3 million impressions.
The Health Collaborative: Partnered with The Health Collaborative to address COVID-19 community testing, education and awareness, and data sharing.
Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS): Addressed the “digital divide” and assisted in developing the CPS Anti-Racism Policy for the district.
Can You Hear Us: In April, All-In Cincinnati debuted its mini docuseries “Can You Hear Us” to showcase Black women’s experiences with discrimination during their pregnancies in healthcare settings.
City of Cincinnati: Provided racial equity training for city officials and administration.
The Economic Mobility Cohort: Partnered with
Ebony J Media, The Doula of Entrepreneurship, and the Economic Community Development Institute (ECDI) to create the Economic Mobility Cohort, which led to the graduation of 22 Black women-owned businesses. The program is currently recruiting for the second cohort.
Tiffany George, Program Manager and Community Health Worker, highlights the importance of supporting Black pregnant mothers throughout their pregnancy, advocating for their health needs and promoting health equity.
“Black mothers also deserve quality care and a safe birth delivery, but many do not receive that. By becoming an official Community Health Worker (CHW) site and a partner agency of the Health Care Access Now (HCAN) Community Hub, we can provide more support to Black mothers and better address the Black maternal health crisis,” George says.
All-In Cincinnati and HCAN collaborated with Judge Janaya Trotter Bratton and Judge Wende Cross to create a social services program in Hamilton County Municipal Court and Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas to initiate a systemic change. The program connects low-risk offenders to HCAN’s Care Coordination Community Health Workers. The outcome has been reduced recidivism among non-violent offenders entering the criminal justice system for offenses related to poverty and addiction. Grants from bi3 and Interact for Health made this possible.
Additionally, All-In Cincinnati co-hosted the 3rd Annual Cincinnati’s National Day of Racial Healing event on Jan. 17, 2023, where more than 700 people attended and heard from keynote speakers Angela Davis, American political activist, professor, and author, and Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman, a renowned Ghanaian American researcher, entrepreneur and writer. Since 2020, nearly 3,000 individuals have attended the all-day event and participated in racial healing workshops.
According to Porter, All-In Cincinnati’s impact on Hamilton County’s future is promising. The Coalition has accomplished more than 70% of its five-year strategic plan in just three years and is likely to sustain this level of success by continuing to build upon its achievements and the creation of new partnerships.
All-In Cincinnati, along with six local organizations, has been selected as a recipient of the BUILD Health Challenge (BHC) award. The BHC provides funding and resources to community-led partnerships that aim to improve health equity through systemic change. Over the next three years, the collaborative cohort will receive $300,000 to support its efforts to empower Black women and address racial inequities in Avondale, promoting social and economic prosperity.
Do you want to join the movement for racial equity in Cincinnati? For more information on All-In Cincinnati and the upcoming 4th Annual Cincinnati’s National Day of Racial Healing, follow them on Instagram, @allincincinnati, or email werisetogether@gcfdn.org.