Project Overview

The challenge to be addressed within East Oakland through a partnership with Roots Community Health Center is the lack of health literacy and community health engagement among the African American population. Thus, Project H.I.P.H.O.P. (Health In Perspective, Helps Our People) by Roots, is created. Roots Community Health Center works to uplift those affected by systemic inequities and poverty. Scott said, “Throughout my time in the field of public health, both educationally and professionally, I’ve learned the importance of perspective through the eyes of a project’s priority population. Perspective in communication is all about the lens that an individual uses to see the world. It takes into consideration the language, feelings, past experiences, visual perception, and the environment of the individual. When looking at a community, being able to understand the community perspective allows one to be able to see how individual perspectives blend to create shared meanings and practices. Project H.I.P.H.O.P. will utilize two theories — diffusion of innovation and social marketing — to help restore trust in health organizations and combat misinformation within communities that have low levels of health literacy.”