Empowering Communities to Tackle Structural Racism Through New Health Equity Training Series

Two-Part Training Series Provide Practical Tools for Multicultural Communities to Advance Health Equity Nationwide

WASHINGTON, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- At a time when too many families are still forced to choose between buying groceries or paying rent, seeking care or staying silent, HCN Global is launching the ninth edition of the Culture of Health / la Cultura de Salud, a multicultural, bilingual multimedia programming series that addresses social determinants of health affecting Latino and Black communities in the US. This year the multimedia series will feature a new webinar series to help community leaders identify and address one of the root causes of health inequity: structural racism.

Supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the initiative builds on more than 40 years of HCN Global's work alongside communities of color, creating culturally grounded campaigns and storytelling that connect inspire, and empower communities—at a moment when communities of color continue to face compounding barriers to health access, education, and economic opportunity.

Now, the focus turns to equipping local leaders with practical tools to recognize how systems shape health outcomes and how to organize for lasting change. "Community partners are on the front lines witnessing how structural barriers show up in daily life—families choosing between rent and groceries, children attending underfunded schools, immigrants afraid to access healthcare," said Alison Rodden, HCN Global CEO. "This series gives them the language, frameworks, and practical examples of how to name these structures, connect them to health outcomes, and mobilize for change."

Structural racism—the policies, systems, and practices built into society that create and maintain racial inequities—continues to shape who has access to quality healthcare, nutritious food, safe housing, and educational opportunities. These barriers disproportionately impact Latino, Black, Indigenous, and immigrant communities, resulting in measurably worse health outcomes and reduced life expectancy.

Health and economic data reveal persistent racial disparities in the United States. Black women and infants experience significantly higher mortality rates than their white counterparts, while Latino communities have faced higher uninsured rates and disproportionate impacts from COVID-19. Economically, white households hold substantially more wealth than Black and Latino households, and homeownership rates — a key source of generational wealth — are markedly higher among white families. These gaps stem from longstanding discriminatory policies such as redlining and unequal lending practices. Because these disparities persist across systems and remain even when accounting for income or education, they are considered structural — embedded in enduring institutions and policies.

Building Equity: Tools for Community Leadership Webinar Series

This two-part training series equips participants to understand how structural racism shapes health outcomes — and how to take meaningful action in their communities.

Webinar 1: Seeing the Structures examines how inequities in housing and food systems, education and health literacy, and immigration policy impact community health and access to care.

Webinar 2: From Knowledge to Action is an interactive workshop where participants map local barriers, develop messaging that connect community issues to structural causes, and create action plans for organizing, advocacy, and systems-level change.

Building Community Capacity to Address Structural Racism
HCN Global's research helps identify the gaps in how community organizations understand and communicate about structural racism as a driver of health inequities. While leaders witness these impacts firsthand, many lack shared language and frameworks to connect lived experiences to systemic causes or advocate effectively for change. This webinar series addresses those gaps by providing evidence-based, culturally relevant tools; elevating community expertise; and offering bilingual resources and peer learning opportunities. Leveraging national networks including La Red Hispana, Melanin Thriving, and LatinEQUIS, the initiative will expand access to trusted community partners. To further support these partners, dedicated webpages were launched to house resources designed to help community leaders and organizers continue this work beyond the live sessions. For Spanish resources visit laredhispana.org/liderazgo-para-una-cultura-de-salud/. For English-preferring Latino and Black audiences visit melaninthriving.com/leadership-for-culture-of-health and wearelatinequis.com/leadership-for-a-culture-of-health.

Registration Information
Community leaders, health workers, advocates, and partner organizations interested in participating can register at: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/A4d9Hx10RdGvjIiHg4i5NQ#/registration.
Webinars are free and open to all who work with communities impacted by health inequities. For more information about the webinar series or to request media interviews, contact Ana Saraí Peña.

About HCN Global and Owned Channels La Red Hispana, LatinEQUIS and Melanin Thriving
HCN Global is the leading producer and syndicator of multimedia programming and content focused on health equity and social determinants of health in the United States – and is 100% for and by BIPOC communities. For more information, visit: hcnglobal.com | LaRedHispana.org | WeAreLatinEQUIS.com | MelaninThriving.com.

Contact: Ana Saraí Peña
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 915 667 3803

SOURCE HCN GLOBAL, LLC