HCN Global Launches Training Series to Combat Structural Racism

HCN Global has announced the launch of a new training series aimed at empowering multicultural communities to address structural racism and promote health equity. The initiative, unveiled on March 3, 2026, includes a two-part webinar series designed to equip community leaders with practical tools to tackle the root causes of health inequities affecting Latino and Black communities across the United States.

The series is the latest edition of the Culture of Health / la Cultura de Salud program, which has a long-standing history of addressing social determinants of health. Supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), this bilingual multimedia series underscores the significant health challenges faced by families who often choose between essential needs, such as food and housing, due to systemic barriers.

Alison Rodden, CEO of HCN Global, emphasized the importance of community involvement, stating, “Community partners are on the front lines witnessing how structural barriers show up in daily life—families choosing between rent and groceries, children attending underfunded schools, immigrants afraid to access healthcare.” The series aims to provide participants with the vocabulary and frameworks necessary to identify these barriers and advocate for systemic change.

Understanding Structural Racism and Its Impact

Structural racism encompasses policies, systems, and practices that perpetuate racial disparities in access to quality healthcare, nutritious food, safe housing, and educational opportunities. These inequities disproportionately affect Latino, Black, Indigenous, and immigrant populations, contributing to significantly worse health outcomes and reduced life expectancy.

Data reveals stark racial disparities in the United States. For instance, Black women and infants face higher mortality rates compared to their white counterparts. Additionally, Latino communities experience elevated uninsured rates and have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Economically, white households possess substantially more wealth than Black and Latino households, with homeownership—a crucial avenue for generational wealth—markedly higher among white families. These inequalities are rooted in historical discriminatory practices, such as redlining and unequal lending, and are perpetuated by enduring institutional policies.

Webinar Series Details

The training series features two distinct webinars aimed at skill-building and community engagement.

The first session, titled Seeing the Structures, will explore how inequities in housing, food systems, education, and immigration policies impact health outcomes and access to care. The second session, From Knowledge to Action, will be an interactive workshop where participants will map local barriers, develop messaging that links community issues to structural causes, and formulate action plans for advocacy and systems-level change.

HCN Global’s research highlights the gaps in how community organizations communicate about structural racism as a driver of health inequities. While community leaders often witness these impacts firsthand, they frequently lack a shared language to connect their lived experiences to systemic causes. This webinar series aims to bridge that gap by providing evidence-based, culturally relevant tools and facilitating peer learning opportunities.

The initiative leverages national networks, including La Red Hispana, Melanin Thriving, and LatinEQUIS, to enhance access to resources for trusted community partners. In addition, dedicated webpages have been launched to support ongoing efforts beyond the live sessions, offering tailored resources for both Spanish-speaking and English-preferring Latino and Black audiences.

Community leaders, health workers, advocates, and organizations interested in participating in the training series can register for free at the provided link. The program is open to all who work with communities affected by health inequities, ensuring widespread access to vital resources.

For further information about the webinar series or to arrange media interviews, interested parties can contact Ana Saraí Peña.

HCN Global is recognized as a leading producer of multimedia content focused on health equity and social determinants of health, with a commitment to serving BIPOC communities across the United States. For more details, visit their website and the associated resources.