Strengthening black and minority community coalitions for health policy action

African Americans and other racial/ethnic minorities suffer greater disparities in health and quality of life than do nonminorities. Health professionals are challenged to improve the health of minority communities by mobilizing minority people to participate in the public policy process through coalition building. The purpose of this article is to examine the role of the nurse in community development and the policy making process. A case study analyzing one nurse's role in community activism for child care policy is presented. Recommendations are provided for strengthening the involvement of minority community coalitions in influencing policy initiatives.