CO Links and CAA Health Herstory

During my tenure as CEO and Executive Director of CAA Health, and through the lens of my own personal experiences, I’ve witnessed the resilience of the Black community and our collective commitment to sustaining initiatives we deem important. Recently, and in recognition of Women’s History Month, our organization was honored to receive a historic gift in support of the capital campaign from The Denver (CO) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated. Like CAA Health, the Denver Chapter has been rooted in the community for decades with more than 60 active and alumna African American women members. Their Legacy gift is so much more than the six-figure investment of $100,000. It sets an example, and issues an invitation, encouraging others – individuals and organizations – to also contribute to our work and in the programs of other African American institutional anchors in our community.

CAA Health’s capital campaign is of great significance especially during this time of racial reckoning in our society. We know, and have experienced personally, how the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted our community – our families, friends, and colleagues. To that end, it is essential for Black people to own institutional spaces in order to eradicate the long-standing inequities that have plagued our community for far too long.

As many of you know, CAA Health serves as a Family Resource Center working to aid multi-generational community members with select direct health services, including mental health, access to health coverage, and patient advocacy. Since the beginning of the pandemic, our organization has demonstrated our ability to be nimble and serve the needs of the community through COVID-19 testing, vaccinations, food distribution, crisis counseling and more.

The contribution from the Denver Links, the largest to date from an African American led organization, further advances CAA Health toward securing a facility in NE Denver that will solidify the important programs we provide for generations to come. This donation will be recognized as a significant milestone and an important part of The Denver Chapter of The Links, Inc. and CAA Health’s shared “herstory” – and for that I am both proud and grateful.