The International Health Commission of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is a new partner of The Center. They have us to increase our knowledge regarding menthol cigarettes and companies targeting communities of color. The Center has invited us to participate, support, and promote the Annual No Menthol Sunday and provided expert speakers for the IHC Annual July Faith-based Health, Wellness, Nutrition, & Fitness month. Most notably, they provide us training on pre-exemption and how it impacts policy making.

The Center has facilitated opportunities for us to network and build relationship with other communities. Through their support, we were able to participate in developing policy for menu disclosures in Cleveland, Ohio. Additionally, they have provided an opportunity for us to expand IHC work in Cleveland Ohio regarding menu disclosure, developing new partnerships with Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition and several local organization. Since this new partnership we have had the opportunity to provide public health awareness information in Cleveland, Ohio through partnerships, billboards, and social media. We have also been fortunate to engage with residents of Cleveland, Ohio in focus groups and town halls in order to gain real lived experiences and phenomenological perspectives to help formulate relevant policy language.

Most importantly this partnership has helped us to continue to use our research skills to address health inequity and disparity.