Enriching Black Culture and Health in Santa Cruz
The Santa Cruz County Black Health Matters Initiative is an award winning (2022 Anthem Awards Silver in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Community Engagement) and groundbreaking grassroots organization that emerged from a great need to support the 1-2% of Black residents in Santa Cruz County. We provide resources and programs to ensure individuals are connected to their culture, community, and health services. We value the dignity of each Black resident to not only survive, but thrive.
Connection Matters
BHMI values partnerships across all intersections that elevate the dignity and quality of life for the communities we all serve. Our work is building transformational ways of improving mental health for Black Youth in Santa Cruz County. We achieve this through mental wellness practice, leadership and mentorship development, cultural events, and activities in park spaces. We co-collaborate with YA’s to create programming for their well being and community engagement to encourage their leadership, passions and ideas.
Want to join us?
Our food, music, expression…the way we come together, this is how we create healthy practice. Cultivating and fostering healthy experiences in the outdoors and within the community is JOY, connection, trust, and BELONGING; this is what behavior health and preventative care can look like; this is how our community THRIVES.
“The Black Health Matters Initiative has sparked the levelling of the playing field for all of us to stand in. I am honored to be a part of this team to not only keep the door open but to elevate, celebrate, invite, educate, mentor, affirm, and welcome the Black community to embrace the spaces and wellness that are our birthright!”
— Thomas Peterson, SCCBHMI Advisor