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Building Power, Connection, and Change Together

January 26, 2026

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Rhode Island CHW Voices �is a statewide network of Community Health Workers advancing equity, leadership, and community power.

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In 2026, What brings you hope?

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  • Welcome
  • Network Updates
  • CHW Voices Vision for 2026
  • What will it take to get there?
  • Leadership opportunities
  • Community Resource Sharing

Today’s goal:

To connect and identify roles we can share to organize our network �in support of our communities.

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Network Updates from the Community

Share how you and your community stay connected.�

Big or small — it all matters.�

Drop it in the chat or unmute and share.

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CHWs make health happen – not alone, but through connection

We invite CHWs, partners, and allies to connect, exchange strategies, �and grow the movement for community health equity.

Our collective strength comes from shared learning and collaboration.

Every relationship we build strengthens trust, coordination, and community well-being.

At RI CHW Voices, �we believe sharing what works, �and what’s hard, �helps us all grow stronger.

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Together, we’re building a national web of CHW power – �rooted locally, connected everywhere.

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We invite you to:

  • Partner on workshops, leadership development, or system-change projects
  • Share your tools, challenges, and stories so we can learn together
  • Collaborate across states to amplify CHW voices and replicate what works

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From Insight to Influence: CHW Leadership Actions

Questions

  • What does success look like in 2026?
  • What do we need in place to get there?
  • What role can you play?
  • What is one concrete commitment we can start this year?

What is one small role or action you can take before our next meeting that supports our collective impact?

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How To Keep It Manageable

✔ Roles can be limited (1–3 months)�✔ People choose one small task�✔ Work builds month to month

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Leadership Development: Logistics, Budgets, File management

CHW Recognition: Communications, Messaging, Digital Platforms

Membership Engagement: Welcoming CHWs and ally partners

Policy Development: Accountability, Advocacy, Data, Storytelling

How will we make collective impact?

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From Insight to Influence: CHW Leadership Actions

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Roles and Actions to consider

  • Help create/facilitate CHW Voices/CRAL Sessions
  • Be the CHW Voice at the statewide strategy team meetings
  • Help document decisions or notes during meetings and place in shared drive
  • Support resources tracking
  • Share stories or highlights of CHW wins or major challenges
  • Help draft or review messaging to CHWs and allies
  • Contribute to social or digital updates
  • Welcome new members
  • Track one policy or advocacy priority
  • Support data or story collection
  • Participate in a coordinated advocacy moment
  • Help with outreach or follow-ups
  • Gather quick feedback from peers

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  • CHW Voices Members: share field insight, lift up wins and challenges from practice
  • Facilitators & Coveners: help plan and/or facilitate CHW Voices/CRAL sessions, keeping meeting focused and accessible
  • Statewide CHW representatives: bring the CHW voice to statewide strategy and planning tables
  • Documenters & Organizers: capture decisions, notes, and action items, keep share files organized
  • Communications leads: help draft or review messages for CHWs and allies, contribute to social or digital updates
  • Story & Data stewards: support CHW storytelling and data collection
  • Outreach & Engagement connectors: follow up with members, gather quick feedback, and strengthen connections across networks
  • Policy & Advocacy champions: track one policy or advocacy prioritt and support coordinated advocacy moment

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Leadership Opportunities

Statewide CHW Strategy Team RI CHW Strategy Team Meeting

  • February 4, 2026 at 3:30PM | Stay updated via CHWARI
  • Would you like to be the CHW Voice in this meeting?

Other Initiatives?

  • CHWARI Newsletter/Website

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Community Volunteer Opportunities

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Educational Opportunities

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RIPHA is seeking abstracts + poster presentationsDeadline: February 10, 2026 at 11:59PM

This year’s theme is, “Leading Through Change: Building Trust and Resilience in Public Health”.

The summit will be on April 27, 2026 at the Crowne Plaza

Storytelling (Presentation) Opportunities

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Upcoming Sessions

Schedule follow up CHW Voices meeting

  • Policy efforts
  • Leadership efforts
  • Organizational efforts

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We are our greatest resource!

Stay connected, and never hesitate to ask�

—your fellow community colleagues may have valuable insights or know of available resources to support you.

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RI Community Resource Group

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Thank You & Take Care!

Email us with any questions: RICHWVoices@gmail.com

THANK YOU �&

TAKE CARE

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Tools & Frameworks

Starting a CHW Network Resources:

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Post-Session Notes

  • Denise Shavers CCF - have CHW Voices meeting or regional meeting help pull partners together
  • Conference planning

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Life is a rollercoaster — during hard times, let’s lift each other up, care for ourselves, and remind one another that self-care is part of the work.

What’s one small way you can care for yourself this week — the same way you encourage your “clients” or community to?

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THE WORK AHEAD�

CONTINUING TO SHOW UP FOR THE COMMUNITY

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CHW Voices Network

RI CHW Voices is a statewide network of Community Health Workers (CHWs), leaders, and advocates – �rooted in lived experience, community wisdom, and equity.

We are not a program or a formal organization—�we are a living, breathing network built by Rhode Island CHWs.

If you support health and healing of communities—�this space is for you.

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