Unfortunately, some marginalized communities do not find Extension efforts, especially and specifically those that come from predominantly white 1862 Land Grant Institutions, to be deserving of their trust and engagement. This reticence is legitimate and earned, given historic and, in some cases, ongoing experiences of exclusion and harm. Within these communities, authentic efforts to build coalitions must be coupled with ownership of harms inflicted and a demonstrated commitment to change. Only then can Cooperative Extension build the trust required to create mutually beneficial relationships where they don’t currently exist. Partnerships among 1862, 1890, and 1994 designated LGU are an ever-present opportunity to demonstrate trustworthiness and build community relationships as part of an overall approach to improve health equity. Because of the ability of community coalitions to produce profound and lasting change, increasing Cooperative Extension’s role in coalition development and management is advanced as a third central theme of the updated framework.
“ For Extension, being an effective coalition member involves moving back and forth between being a teacher and learner, at times serving as a source of expert-based knowledge, but also listening and learning from the other voices at the table. Unfortunately, some marginalized communities do not find Extension efforts, especially and specifically those that come from predominantly white 1862 Land Grant Institutions, to be deserving of their trust and engagement. This reticence is legitimate and earned, given historic and, in some cases, ongoing experiences of exclusion and harm. Within these communities, authentic efforts to build coalitions must be coupled with ownership of harms inflicted and a demonstrated commitment to change …”
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