NOW LEARNING COMMUNITY
McKinley County Early Childhood Coalition
Navajo Nation, New Mexico
About Us
The membership of the McKinley County Early Childhood Coalition (MCECC) consists of health and education representatives, home visiting programs, child care, non- profit organizations, early intervention and any individuals who are interested in the objectives of the Coalition.
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Children are born healthy
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Children are healthy, safe and nurtured
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Children are ready to enter school
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Working in collaboration to improve outcomes for children, prenatal to age 5, and families in McKinley County
Early Childhood Coalition Values:
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RESILIENT AND HEALTHY FAMILIES
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CULTURE, LANGUAGE, FAMILY AS STRENGTHS
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RESTORE CULTURAL IDENTITY AS FAMILIES
Mission
We believe that the power to overturn long-standing, historical health inequalities lies inherently in Native communities themselves. By investing in existing community resources and aligning our work with the vision of tribal leadership, we hope to help catalyze this transformation within our lifetime.
Vision
Our vision is to eliminate health disparities and improve the wellbeing of American Indians and Alaska Natives. We believe that the power to overturn long-standing, historical health inequalities lies inherently in Native communities themselves. COPE strives to promote healthy, prosperous, and empowered Native communities through three collaborative approaches: Robust, community-based outreach; Local capacity building and system-level partnerships; and increasing access to healthy foods.
Lead Partners
Community Outreach and Patient Empowerment (COPE) serves as the Backbone Organization of the Mckinley County Early Childhood Coalition and has an ongoing partnership with Navajo Nation agencies and leadership.
COPE is a Native-controlled non-profit organization working to promote healthy, prosperous, and empowered American Indian/Alaska Native communities. We are patient-focused and community-based. Our approach to health care is as important as the community transformations we seek. COPE began in 2009 initially as a faculty-led initiative at Brigham and Women's Hospital's Division of Global Health Equity, with formal partnerships forming with Navajo Nation Community Health Representative Program and the Navajo Indian Health Services. COPE was incorporated as a formal nonprofit in 2012.
Other Partners
Parents and Family Members, Healthcare Providers, Food System Advocates, Private Health Care System, Non-Profits, Grassroots Collectives and Tribal Entities
Learning Community Goals and Strategic Priorities
During the learning community, McKinley County Early Childhood Coalition is focusing on the following goals:
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Mobilizing for a healthier community
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Building healthy families
During the learning community, McKinley County Early Childhood Coalition is focusing on the following specific priorities:
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Mobilize families to equitable resources
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Community outreach & collaboration with other state early childhood coalitions
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Strengthen family support, including male/father involvement and intergenerational connection
Highlights
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Podcast Episode, "Honoring Culture, Language, and Family: Stories from the Navajo Nation" (October 28, 2019)
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Blog Post: "Community Champion in Chicago" By Esther Rodriquez Henry(October 21, 2019)
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"Esther, Community Champion, " ATD Fourth World, March 19, 2019
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"Story Garden: Fun, Education, Socialization, and Crafts, "Gallup Independent (December 6, 2018)
Data Stories
McKinley County Early Childhood Coalition authored a data story poster discussing the impact of Impact Aid in New Mexico. Click the poster image to read the full story.
As part of the NOW Learning Community, McKinley County Early Childhood Coalition partnered with NOW staff and co-developed a baseline data map of key community indicators. Check out this interactive map of Navajo Nation where Native Americans live.
McKinley County Early Childhood Coalition
Native American Population
Data Source: 2013-2017 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates