Webinar: Conducting Outreach in the African American Community
Effective outreach is about more than sharing information — it’s about connecting with people and building meaningful relationships. To successfully engage African American families, it’s crucial to understand practical strategies that center trust, cultural relevance, and responsiveness, while keeping in mind the real-world barriers families often face.
That was part of what TaVia Wooley covered in a June 4, 2026, webinar hosted by LA Best Babies Network (watch recording below). TaVia is founder and Executive Director of The EmpowerTHEM Collective, which is based in the Antelope Valley (northern Los Angeles County). The webinar was for Welcome Baby Outreach Specialists and other staff of our network’s home visiting organizations and Welcome Baby hospitals.
In this interactive session, TaVia helped the Outreach Specialists understand best practices with respect to conducting outreach and recruiting Black/African American families to participate in a home visiting program.
Drawing on both research and lived experience, TaVia emphasized that successful outreach begins with understanding the historical, social, and structural factors that influence how families interact with service systems.
Families who miss appointments, stop responding to calls, or decline services are frequently navigating barriers that extend far beyond a lack of interest, including:
- Systemic racism and discrimination
- Historical and ongoing medical mistrust
- Negative experiences with institutions and service systems
- Transportation challenges
- Childcare responsibilities
- Housing instability
- Inflexible program schedules and service hours
TaVia emphasized that services are most effective when they reflect the language, values, experiences, and priorities of the communities they serve.
By approaching families with curiosity instead of assumptions, honoring lived experience, reducing barriers, and designing culturally relevant services, providers can create stronger relationships and more equitable outcomes.
TaVia adds that successful outreach is not about persuading families to participate. It is about creating conditions where families feel respected, understood, and supported … so they want to participate.
Watch the recording, and don’t miss the links to related resources below:
Related resources
- Presentation slides for this webinar (coming soon)
- The EmpowerTHEM Collective
- TaVia’s Instagram and Tik Tok