We Changed the Way We Looked at Things, now the Things We Looked at Changed
About Our Programs
About the CLRG
Problem Statement
Black communities in Arkansas face persistent and severe health disparities that are well-documented yet inadequately addressed. Arkansas consistently ranks among the poorest states for health outcomes, and Black Arkansans experience disproportionately high rates of HIV, food insecurity, hypertension, diabetes, and stress-related mental health conditions compared to white residents (Arkansas Department of Health, 2023). These inequities are driven by structural racism, economic inequality, and limited access to culturally responsive care, rather than individual behavior alone.
At the same time, the national public health landscape has become increasingly unstable. Federal public health institutions, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have experienced sustained political pressure, budget uncertainty, and structural constraints that limit consistent data collection, surveillance, and community engagement (Trust for America’s Health, 2024). These disruptions disproportionately affect Southern states like Arkansas, where public health infrastructure is already under-resourced. As a result, timely, disaggregated data on Black health outcomes is often delayed, incomplete, or unavailable, weakening the ability of communities to advocate for resources or design effective interventions.
Traditional research models further compound this problem. Black communities are frequently the subjects of research without meaningful involvement in shaping research questions, interpreting findings, or benefiting from results. Studies are often conducted externally, with data extracted and disseminated in ways that do not return value to the communities studied, contributing to mistrust and low engagement (Wallerstein et al., 2018). This disconnect leads to interventions that fail to reflect lived experience and therefore fail to achieve sustained impact.
The Community-Led Research Group of Arkansas addresses this gap by placing research leadership, agenda-setting, and interpretation directly in the hands of Black community members. By training community members as co-researchers and grounding inquiry in lived experience, CLRG creates a resilient research infrastructure that remains accountable regardless of political shifts. For funders, supporting this initiative represents an opportunity to invest in ethical, community-driven knowledge production that strengthens trust, improves relevance, and advances health equity for Black Arkansans at a moment when traditional public health systems are under strain.
The Language Liberation Lab (L3)
The Language Liberation Lab (L3) is an educational initiative that examines how doublespeak, euphemisms, and coded language shape perception, stress, decision-making, and health outcomes. L3 focuses on how indirect or softened language can obscure harm, normalize inequity, and influence public understanding of social and health-related issues. By increasing awareness of how language operates across media, policy, and institutional settings, the Lab supports clearer understanding and more informed engagement.
Through facilitated workshops and applied learning, participants develop practical skills to identify doublespeak, euphemistic framing, and coded narratives that distort meaning or reduce accountability. The Lab explores the psychological and social impacts of these language patterns, including their role in stigma, stress, and misperception. Emphasis is placed on education, critical literacy, and reflection rather than debate, creating an accessible and constructive learning environment.
The Language Liberation Lab is designed with measurable outcomes. Participants complete pre- and post-session assessments to evaluate changes in language awareness, comprehension, and confidence in identifying euphemistic or misleading language. Anticipated outcomes include increased ability to accurately interpret public messaging, improved recognition of harmful language patterns, and greater intentionality in communication practices. Program activities and outcomes are observed and documented through Urban Sanctuary’s Community-Led Research Group, ensuring accountability, continuous improvement, and evidence-informed refinement. L3 contributes to healthier communication environments and supports broader efforts to reduce stigma and improve wellbeing through precise and responsible language use.
Excertrition
Excertrition is a culturally grounded nutrition education and wellness program that integrates food literacy, hands-on cooking, edible gardening, sustainable food practices, and joyful movement. The program is designed to address food insecurity and diet-related health challenges by increasing participants’ knowledge, skills, and confidence in preparing affordable, nutritious meals that reflect cultural food traditions.
Excertrition emphasizes practical learning. Participants engage directly in cooking demonstrations, shared meal preparation, and basic edible gardening activities. Instruction includes reading food labels, meal planning on a budget, reducing sodium and added sugars, minimizing food waste, and incorporating movement in accessible, non-stigmatizing ways. The program is delivered through workshops and retreat-based sessions that support learning, connection, and stress reduction.
Excertrition is designed with measurable outcomes to support evaluation and continuous improvement. Participants complete pre- and post-program assessments measuring changes in nutrition knowledge, food confidence, and self-reported meal preparation behaviors. Anticipated outcomes include increased understanding of healthy ingredient substitutions, improved ability to plan and prepare balanced meals within budget constraints, and increased use of fresh or minimally processed foods. Additional indicators include reduced food waste practices and increased confidence engaging in physical activity.
Program implementation and outcomes are observed and documented through Urban Sanctuary’s Community-Led Research Group, ensuring that evaluation reflects community experience and informs program refinement. Excertrition contributes to improved food access, strengthened health literacy, and sustainable behavior change through education that is culturally relevant, practical, and accountable.
Anti-Blackness Awareness Training
Urban Sanctuary’s Anti-Blackness Awareness Training is an educational program designed to support deeper understanding of how anti-Blackness operates across interpersonal, institutional, and cultural contexts, particularly as it relates to health, education, and service delivery. The training provides historical and contemporary context to help participants recognize how patterns of bias, exclusion, and racialized stress contribute to inequitable outcomes and strained community trust.
Through facilitated sessions, participants engage with structured content, guided discussion, and applied learning exercises that emphasize awareness, accountability, and practical reflection. The training focuses on helping individuals and organizations identify how anti-Blackness can manifest in policies, language, decision-making, and everyday interactions, while offering tools to support more informed and responsive practices. The approach prioritizes education and understanding rather than blame, creating a constructive environment for learning.
The Anti-Blackness Awareness Training is designed with measurable outcomes. Participants complete pre- and post-training assessments to evaluate changes in knowledge, awareness, and confidence in identifying anti-Blackness in professional and organizational settings. Anticipated outcomes include increased understanding of historical and structural factors influencing inequity, improved ability to recognize harmful patterns, and greater readiness to apply inclusive and accountable practices. Training outcomes are observed and documented through Urban Sanctuary’s Community-Led Research Group, ensuring accountability, continuous improvement, and alignment with community-defined indicators of effectiveness.