Emancipate NC is proud to support the newly relaunched Community Healing Initiative (CHI), an innovative, collaborative project dedicated to strengthening the capacity of individuals and organizations to support Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) families navigating mental health challenges. Through culturally grounded practices, community connection, and collective care, CHI helps families access tools to respond to today’s challenges and supports individuals on their own healing journeys.
CHI began in 2021, when a small group of community-based organizations came together in response to the growing mental health crisis among young people, intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative sought to equip community members with the tools to support BIPOC families, respond to rising rates of youth suicide, and create spaces where healing could happen collectively.
During its 2021–2022 pilot phase, CHI and its partners organized three Liberating Minds Youth Healing Justice Retreats, four Circle Keeper trainings, and three QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) suicide prevention trainings for youth ages 16 and older. Through this work, more than 100 Black and Latinx youth from across North Carolina received training and participated in healing-centered programming.
These gatherings embraced the understanding that healing takes many forms. Participants engaged in ancestral and cultural practices alongside somatic activities, art, music, movement, storytelling, and community building. Rather than relying on a single approach, CHI created opportunities for young people and community members to connect with one another, develop practical skills, and draw strength from their cultures and collective experiences.
From 2023 through 2026, CHI was housed at the Education Justice Alliance (EJA), with Fernando Martinez coordinating the initiative. Now, CHI is entering a new chapter, continuing its commitment to community-led healing and expanding its vision for the future.
With its move to downtown Raleigh, CHI is embracing a new opportunity to grow and cultivate community. Its vision is grounded in a powerful reflection on the work of previous generations: just as our parents and grandparents sowed, cultivated, and harvested the land, it is now time to sow in a different way by nurturing relationships, investing in healing, and creating spaces where communities can thrive.
Emancipate NC is honored to support CHI as it begins this next chapter. We recognize that building healthier, safer communities requires more than responding to crises after they occur. It also means investing in the relationships, resources, cultural traditions, and community-led practices that help people heal and flourish.
We look forward to seeing CHI’s continued growth and the impact of its work across North Carolina.
Learn more and support the Community Healing Initiative! Explore CHI’s mission, learn about its work, and make a donation to support its vision for community healing→