The We the People Community Health Worker Coalition has been born out of decades of collaborative work to improve the quality of life and health access of people living with HIV/AIDS and other related chronic illnesses in a response to growing and sustained health inequality and lack of economic access in both urban, rural, and suburban communities across the United States.
 

In 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 national response, Damien Ministries and Equality Community Health Worker Corps Founder, Jeffrey Richardson, brought together a network of community-based organizations, health and environmental education groups, academic institutions, and public health scientists to apply for funding from the Federal Office of Minority Health to lead a national minority COVID-19 response and education strategy focused on black and brown communities and other high-risk populations. Despite, not being awarded the federal funding, the community of practice continued to collaborate and create opportunities to engage in community education, training, and dialogue.
 

As community health advocates and professionals have continued to convene, share resources, and serve as a community of learning and restoration for one another; we recognize the increasing value of establishing a national network of community health workers and community health practitioners to help sustain the increasing national focus on improving health access for minority communities and other vulnerable populations.