Reflections on the Impact Summit 2024 with NMHEC

This November, NCC’s Valerie Martinez was among the speakers at the NMHEC Impact Summit 2024, presenting alongside Cheryl Ballard, founder of B&A Entertainment Services, Inc., one of our valued community partners. Their presentation focused on leveraging culturally tailored, peer-to-peer group interventions to increase breast cancer screenings among minority women. Programs like Pink Ribbon Sunday and Friend to Friend have significantly enhanced breast health education within the Las Vegas African American community.

In collaboration with NCC, B&A Entertainment has extended its impact by incorporating patient navigation services to connect individuals with critical screening opportunities. During the session, Valerie and Cheryl shared insights on conducting needs assessments, program planning and evaluation, and implementing improvements based on lessons learned from their experiences.

Another standout session at the conference was “Power in Partnership: Advancing Reproductive Justice Through Community Research” presented by Zarinah Washington, Director of Community Partnerships, and Jollina Walker, State Policy Director, from Make it Work Nevada. They shed light on the persistent challenges of housing insecurity, justice involvement, and economic and environmental inequities affecting Black families. Their grassroots approach, including door-knocking campaigns and engaging with local business owners and homeowners, showcased the importance of listening to community voices and fostering meaningful, lasting change.

Dr. Khama Ennis, MD, MPH, founder of Faces of Medicine, also inspired attendees. Her documentary and storytelling project focuses on improving representation in medicine, a crucial step toward health equity. With contributions to outlets like The Washington Post and Parents Magazine, Dr. Ennis shared her journey and passion for addressing disparities in healthcare. Her empowering words, “Opportunity is calling,” emphasized the importance of acting on chances to make a difference. She also invoked the wisdom of Lilla Watson: “If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”

The Summit offered an invaluable platform to network with partners from diverse sectors and gain insights into the services available in Las Vegas to uplift our community. Events like these reaffirm the power of collective action in tackling pressing social and health challenges.