CHICAGO IL — September 20, 2021 — Eleven African-American-led organizations have united to form the Black Leadership Advocacy Coalition for Healthcare Funding Equity (BLACHFE). The purpose of BLACHFE is to identify and dismantle systemically racist policies and funding processes which result in inequitable funding of Black-led community-based organizations in order to negate the historically inequitable spread and impact of HIV/AIDS, specifically among the Black/African-American population throughout Illinois.
BLACHFE is meeting with public-health leadership engaged with both the City of Chicago and State of Illinois.
BLACHFE MEMBERS
Alliance Care 360/Brothers Health Collective, Ariq Cabbler, Executive Director
Brave Space Alliance, LaSaia Wade, Executive Director
Chicago Black Gay Men's Caucus, Joshua Travis, Executive Director
Community Wellness Project, Dana Williams, Executive Director
GreaterWorks Inc., Creola Kizart-Hampton, Founder/President
Project VIDA, Jerome Montgomery, Executive Director
Proactive Community Services, Eula Burge, Executive Director
South Side Help Center, Vanessa Smith, Executive Director
Taskforce Prevention Services, Christopher Balthazar, MA, Executive Director
Transforming Reentry Services, Rev. Doris Green, Founder, CEO
Writers, Planners, Trainers Inc., Harold Lawary, Executive Director
Other Black-led CBOs are invited to join BLACHFE based on the following criteria:
1. Board of organization must be 51%+ African-American.
2. Executive Director of organization must be African-American.
3. ONLY Executive Directors (or Associate Executive Directors appointed by EDs) can participate in BLACHFE meetings.
4. Executive Directors must sign Non-Disclosure Agreements, legally binding members to treat information shared during meetings as confidential/secret to others without proper authorization, including information on programs and services of participants.
5. Organization is physically located in communities that are primarily populated by individuals and families that identify themselves as African-Americans.
6. Organization provides HIV/AIDS related services (including but not limited to prevention, education, care, etc.) to individuals or families who are or have been impacted by HIV or addresses health and social justice disparities among the African diaspora (as defined By Founding Members of BLACHFE).
7. No limitations on number of years in existence.
8. NFP or For Profit Organizations.
New memberships will be accepted beginning January 2022.
