The Power and Possibility of Community Health Workers - Insights from the 2025 Unity Conference

August 14, 2025•3 min read

By Camille Thompkins-Doty,

Community Engagement Manager, Powered to Rise

Photo Disclaimer:

All images are AI-generated to reflect the atmosphere of the NACHW Unity Conference. They do not depict actual attendees or events.

A warm, wide-angle photograph of a diverse group of people seated in a cozy, modern community space. The group includes individuals of different races, skin tones, ages, and genders, gathered in conversation or quiet reflection. Natural sunlight pours in through large windows, highlighting the relaxed, inclusive energy of the room. The setting evokes belonging, collaboration, and community care.

I walked into the Unity Conference thinking I’d simply observe—take notes, gather ideas for our next outreach initiative at Powered to Rise. Instead, I stepped into a space that felt sacred.

The room pulsed with energy, filled with Community Health Workers (CHWs) from every corner of the country. These are the people I now understand as the connective tissue between communities and the care they deserve. They are mission-driven, deeply passionate, and refreshingly real.

I watched them put their truth to power during the Day on Capitol Hill, share lived experiences in intimate breakout rooms, and hold space for each other with the kind of tenderness that comes only from walking beside—not above—the people they serve.

Storytelling as a Healing Tool

A group of four Black women engaged in a focused discussion in front of a colorful whiteboard labeled “Community Health Workers.” The board is filled with handwritten notes, charts, and diagrams related to health equity and outreach. One woman gestures expressively while holding a notebook filled with graphs. The group appears collaborative and passionate, reflecting grassroots leadership and community-based problem-solving.

One session introduced the “Story of Self, Us, and Now” framework. It was an invitation to go deeper. More introspective. We asked ourselves:

What shaped your values?
What connects you to your community?
What urgent need are you answering?

For CHWs, these questions are daily reminders. Whether they are advocating at policy meetings, facilitating trainings, or comforting patients at a mobile clinic, CHWs are constantly telling stories—woven from courage, pain, joy, and resistance.

An open leather-bound notebook filled with handwritten reflections sits on a weathered wooden table beside a steaming cup of coffee. A black fountain pen rests diagonally across the pages. Soft natural light pours in from a nearby window, casting a warm, contemplative glow. The scene evokes quiet focus, creativity, and intentional storytelling.

The Ethical Storytelling Checklist grounded that process: share only what you’ve processed, honor consent, and lead with purpose. That session changed how I see advocacy. Storytelling is a vessel to restore humanity inside systems that too often forget people.

Advocacy in Action

A large, diverse group of community health workers stands together on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, dressed in professional attire with name badges and advocacy pins. The individuals, primarily women of color, smile confidently as they represent health equity leadership in policy spaces. The Capitol dome rises prominently in the background, symbolizing civic engagement and collective power.

The stories shared from their Capitol Hill visit were unforgettable. As someone who once reported from the Hill, I know the hurdles of getting face time with lawmakers—let alone influencing policy. So when I saw photos of nearly 100 CHWs standing together on the Capitol steps—each carrying a story more powerful than any statistic—I felt pride and possibility surge through me.

In another session with the National CHW Policy Working Group, I saw grassroots voices shaping national conversations on Medicaid reimbursement, CHW certification, and health equity. Many were new to policy work, yet they stood tall, spoke boldly, and embodied what it means to lead with lived experience.

A Shared Mission, Not a Single Mold

A Black woman in a white coat stands thoughtfully beside a framed collage of diverse women in healthcare and community roles. The collage features images of women providing care, engaging with families, and smiling warmly in clinical and neighborhood settings. The composition conveys pride, purpose, and the collective impact of women of color in health and community leadership.

What struck me most was the diversity of the CHWs in the room—different regions, races, languages, faiths, and life journeys. Some had lived in the very communities they now served. Others came in as allies, advocates, and learners. What united them wasn’t a shared background—it was a shared commitment to honoring the dignity of every person they serve.

You don’t have to share someone’s culture to care. You don’t have to look like them or speak their language to build trust. Shared experiences can build a bridge—but curiosity, compassion, and humility can carry you across it.

Voting Is a Health Issue

A smiling community health worker in medical scrubs holds a clipboard as a woman fills out a voter registration form. They are surrounded by other women, some also in healthcare uniforms, in a vibrant space with a bold “Voter Registration” sign in the background. The image highlights civic engagement, healthcare-community collaboration, and the role of trust in mobilizing action.

One session led by Vot-ER reframed voting for me—not just as civic duty, but as a determinant of health. Their visual made it clear: social and structural determinants drive health outcomes, and the ballot box is one of the few tools we have to change those root causes.

Encouraging voter registration in health centers is essential.

My Story of Now

As I left Columbus, I kept circling back to one question: What’s my “story of now”?

I’ve spent much of my career amplifying others’ voices. In that conference room, surrounded by CHWs who live their values in every interaction, I felt called to claim my own.

At Powered to Rise, we believe in meeting people where they are. This week reminded me that “where they are” includes legislative hearings, town hall meetings, and yes—even the steps of Capitol Hill.

To every CHW who shared their story at the Unity Conference: thank you. Your courage, clarity, and compassion lit a fire. I’m walking away not just inspired—but mobilized.

Because storytelling isn’t just about being heard.

It’s about being seen.

We rise higher when we rise together.

If you want to learn more about Community Health Workers and their principles, visit https://nachw.org/about/ to read more about their story.

Camille Doty-Thompkins

Camille Doty Thompkins is a storyteller and strategist who believes community voices are catalysts for change. Whether mentoring young leaders or advocating for homeownership as a form of justice, she brings heart and precision to every space she enters. Rooted in a lifelong commitment to equity, Camille uplifts untold stories that shape identity, spark action, and build legacy.

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