“We need to acknowledge the leadership and assets that exist within communities and tap into that in an authentic and equitable partnership.

— Denise Octavia Smith

Founder & Executive Director of the National Association of Community Health Workers

Over the past year, community leaders have been calling for a forum to connect, share insights, and learn from others doing similar work on the frontlines of the pandemic. We believe fighting COVID-19 and future pandemics starts with supporting the expertise that exists within communities. By surfacing, sharing, and implementing the wisdom and proven practices from these community leaders in the U.S. and across the globe, we can support sustained, equity-centered, community-led efforts that strengthen the health system for all.

This report sheds light on the critical role community leaders have played throughout this pandemic and challenges and lessons learned to help us prepare for the next pandemic in their own words. Community power is at the center of this work – and we believe it’s core to any approach to advance health equity.

This work was produced by Aspen Global Innovators Group and generously supported by grants from the Skoll Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to the Communities First Global Collaborative. We are grateful for the contributions from the individuals and groups involved in the writing of this report as well as the many community leaders who shared their time.