A PHILIP RANDOLPH INSTITUTE

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMFUNDING FOR APRI'S CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL IS FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT, AND IN THE FIELD FOR OUR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS ACROSS SELECTED TARGET STATES AND COMMUNITIES SUCH AS:1. CONVENING EVENTS, WEBINARS, AND IN-DEPTH TRAINING SESSIONS DURING REGIONAL AND LOCAL CHAPTER EVENTS TO EQUIP MEMBERS WITH THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO BUILD CAPACITY FOR PARTICIPATING IN CIVIC EVENTS.2. PROVIDING ONGOING TRAININGS FOR APRI CHAPTERS' PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF' PRODUCING AND DISSEMINATING COLLATERAL ITEMS (T-SHIRTS, FLIERS, POSTERS, ETC.)3. MOBILIZING COMMUNITIES AROUND FAIR-ELECTION ADVOCACY TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO REGISTRATION AND VOTING, PARTICULARLY THOSE DISENFRANCHISED, UNDERREPRESENTED, AND MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.

HEALTH CARE LITERACY AND ACCESSFOR MORE THAN 12 YEARS, APRI'S ORGANIZATIONAL FOCUS HAS BEEN ON HIGHLIGHTING HEALTH CARE DISPARITIES IN THE MINORITY COMMUNITIES WITH PARTICULAR FOCUS ON AFRICAN AMERICANS. ONE OF THE MOST GLARING AND DESPAIRING ISSUES FACED BY MANY MINORITIES, IN PARTICULAR AFRICAN AMERICANS, HAS BEEN RACE-BASED DISPARITIES IN HEALTH AND HEALTHCARE SERVICES. APRI SEEKS TO ELIMINATE RACIAL DISPARITIES IN HEALTHCARE BY ADVOCATING FOR POLICIES AND LEGISLATION WHICH SUPPORT EQUAL ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE SERVICES FOR ALL AMERICANS, AND BY PROVIDING EDUCATION ON ACCESS TO HEALTH INSURANCE. TO ADDRESS THESE DISPARITIES, AND TO PROVIDE A FORUM TO MOBILIZE OUR COMMUNITIES AROUND HEALTHCARE ISSUES, APRI FEATURES A HEALTHCARE SYMPOSIUM DURING THE ANNUAL NATIONAL EDUCATION CONFERENCE. THIS SYMPOSIUM FEATURES SPECIAL FORUMS ON SOLUTIONS FOR ADDRESSING HEALTH NEEDS, ALONG WITH TRAINING TRACKS ON OBESITY, HEART DISEASE AND DIABETES IN A FORMAT WHICH ENCOURAGES TAKING A PRO-ACTIVE APPROACH TO IMPROVING HEALTH CONCERNS. WHEN POSSIBLE, THE CONFERENCE PRESENTS HEALTH SCREENING AND EXHIBITS COVERING ALL ASPECTS OF HEALTH FROM: HIV/AIDS SCREENING & COUNSELING, DIABETES, GLAUCOMA, BMI, BLOOD PRESSURE AND CARDIOVASCULAR SCREENINGS, AND MENTAL HEALTH. APRI BELIEVES THAT THE RIGHT TO AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE HEALTHCARE IS TANTAMOUNT TO THE CIVIL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RIGHTS AFFORDED TO ALL AMERICANS, AND THEREFORE REMAINS A VITAL PART OF THE CONVERSATION IN OUR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT WORK.