PathBreakers

Dr. Mona Hanna is Writing Cash Prescriptions for Families in Michigan

Dr. Mona Hanna, affectionately known as “Dr. Mona”, is best known as the pediatrician who exposed the Flint water crisis. She is also the associate dean for Public Health at Michigan State University and now the founder of RxKids – a cash prescriptions program for expectant mothers in Michigan and currently the largest cash-transfer program in the country. In this episode, Dr. Mona reflects on how her experience in medical school and her experience navigating the Flint water crisis inform her approach to public health. She also discusses the impact and financial efficiency of RxKids, and how a program like RxKids – which centers love and trust by design – significantly improves health outcomes for babies and new mothers. Find Dr. Hanna’s book, What the Eyes Don’t See, and learn more about RxKids: https://rxkids.org/ What the Eyes Don't See

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Marcia Black is Archiving Detroit’s Black History to Help Heal Injustice

Marcia Black is a Detroit-based archivist, curator, and cultural preservationist whose work focuses on preserving the histories of Black women, Black Detroit, and the Black radical tradition. Guided by her education at Marygrove College and inspired by her entrepreneurial grandmother who was a beauty salon owner, computer worker, and reverend, Marcia has dedicated herself to archival work with a purpose. In this episode, Marcia reflects on her approach to collecting oral histories with Detroit’s Black elders, and ways those elders and their stories can inform a reimagining of Detroit’s future. This discussion also explores ideas around archiving, pushing back against cultural erasure, and the opportunities for community-led reparations efforts through projects like the I-375 Reparative Roundtable – a group of 20 stakeholders addressing the historical injustice of Detroit’s interstate construction in the 1960s. Learn more about Marcia, the Black Bottom Archives, and the Detroit Reparative Roundtable https://www.blackbottomarchives.com/ https://detroitisdifferent.com/keeping-the-flame-marcia-black-on-black-women-archives-and-the-legacy-of-black-detroit/ https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/projects-studies/special-construction/i-375-reconnecting-communities-project

Damien Wilson is Directing Critical Resources to HBCUs

Damien Wilson is the Senior Director of the HBCU Brilliance Initiative at Reinvestment Fund, where he leads efforts to provide technical and financial support to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In this episode, Damien discusses how his career on Wall Street, his love for his hometown, and his own HBCU experience all inform his approach as a financial advisor working to ensure these institutions become strong community anchors. This discussion explores the financial challenges and opportunities facing HBCUs in this moment and highlights the importance of debt as leverage in securing the futures of these schools. This conversation also explores the need for innovative and business-minded leadership and the ways HBCUs can holistically serve their communities. Learn more about Damien and the HBCU Brilliance Initiative https://www.reinvestment.com/grants/hbcu-brilliance-initiative/ https://www.reinvestment.com/people/damien-wilson/ https://pathbreakers.kresge.org/story/damien-wilson/