In Good Health

The Colorado Health Foundation believes that our institutions of government should serve every member of our community, and this demands that our political and policymaking processes fully include all of us. A complete U.S. Census count and accurate Census data are fundamental keystones to thousands of policy decisions that impact the lives of Coloradans and the extent to which health is in reach for all of us. Over the last few years, the Foundation has supported many initiatives and organizations working to ensure a fair and accurate count of everyone in Colorado, as required by the Constitution of the United States of America. Simply put, the Census is about money, power and data, and each of these have

Today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision is a win for health and health equity, and for millions of Americans who need access to reproductive health services. Restrictions to reproductive health care and family planning services create unnecessary barriers to health – especially for communities of color, people living on low income and those who live in hard-to-reach rural and urban areas.

Access to affordable and high-quality reproductive health care, contraception and family planning services empowers individuals and couples to make informed decisions on when, how and if to start a family. It opens up opportunities for Coloradans to continue their education, further their careers and do more of what they and their families need to live healthy lives.

At The Colorado

As we continue to battle the coronavirus pandemic, a more pervasive pandemic continues to intensify – racial injustice. Recent civic demonstrations are shining a light on age-old racism, oppression and discrimination against the Black community that predate our country’s founding.

The moment we’re in as a country must become a movement to transform and dismantle the racist structures, systems and narratives that disadvantage Black communities. A future of promise in America, and in Colorado, depends on our ability to address and upend racist policies, practices and behaviors, so that all people – including our Black family, friends and neighbors – have access to the opportunities White folks have long enjoyed.

The Association of Black Foundation Executives (ABFE) recently shared

We recently held an all-staff meeting at which every employee was asked to read aloud a letter they’d prepared about the personal impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. What follows is a portion of the letter I wrote and shared with staff – a deeply personal reflection:

As a Black Southern woman, I always have to manage that core, “forever” identity with my temporary identity as president and CEO of The Colorado Health Foundation. I can’t separate the two and wouldn’t want to – that intersection is where my authenticity lies. However, the pandemic has come into that carefully constructed and maintained balance like a tornado. 

On a day-by-day, hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute basis – on a cellular level – I struggle