Coming Full Circle: Bringing Cultural Healing and Equity Back Home
Client
Delilah’s Healing and Educational Collective
Services
Collaborative Program Design, Community Communications, Cultural Brand Support
Year
2023-present
Delilah’s Healing and Educational Collective bridges public health, education, and Indigenous sovereignty. Working with Indigenous Wampanoag and health equity leaders on Cape Cod, we co-create culturally grounded educational programming that addresses colonial impacts while advancing health equity. This collaboration demonstrates that relationship-building and process are as important as outcomes when creating understanding among diverse groups.
Challenge
Colonial legacies have created systemic barriers to health access and community well-being for Indigenous communities on Cape Cod. We saw a need to develop programming that respected Indigenous knowledge and sovereignty while addressing health disparities. This required establishing authentic relationships before designing programming and communications strategies that would resonate with and engage the community.
Solution
Our approach prioritized relationship-building through:
- Regular knowledge-sharing sessions between about Indigenous history and contemporary experiences
- Decision-making that centers Wampanoag leadership
I contribute to this co-created team effort by:
- Supporting program development
- Assisting with community events that cultivate dialogue and knowledge-sharing
- Contribute to communications and website development that aligns with guidelines from an Indigenous-led creative agency.
Outcome
This initiative has strengthened relationships and deepened conversations about colonial history’s ongoing effects. The program received funding in recognition for its work. The planning for 2025 has a focus on how the collaborative process and creating a relational culture is valued as a tangible outcome.