Recap: Building Community Solutions - Owning the Narrative

Normandy Farm and Conference Center, Blue Bell, PA I April 17, 2026

Leaders, changemakers, and community members from a diversity of sectors across Montgomery County joined HealthSpark Foundation for its spring Community of Practice centered on Building Community Solutions under the theme ‘Owning the Narrative.’ Representing the third goal in HealthSpark’s strategic plan, community solutions prioritizes advancing community-driven efforts to develop solutions to pressing needs such as community safety in the wake of immigration enforcement, affordable housing and homelessness, racial equity and justice, and youth-led movements.  

Intentionally and thoughtfully curated gatherings like the Community of Practice are a central component to HealthSpark’s approach. They are responsive to and reflective of the issues that directly impact social determinants of health – the conditions where people live, work, play and age - and inform future grantmaking and non-grantmaking activities. But moreover, they serve as third spaces where people can gather, connect, and create shared meaning that is healing, generative, and transformative. 

Owning the Narrative 

HealthSpark Foundation President and CEO Emma Hertz opened the conference by welcoming the over 175 guests that filled the main ballroom. Her opening remarks framed the central themes of the day: narrative power, diversity and belonging, and building supportive and resilient relationships that sustain long-term social change. 

“Take a moment — look around this room. Look at the people sitting beside you, behind you, across from you. Look at what is here: decades of experience, wells of compassion, and communities represented. Look at the resilience that walked through the doors this morning and chose to show up — again — for the people and the places we love.” 

Narratives are deeply held beliefs that have the capacity to shape and influence human perceptions and behavior. As meaning-making systems they also carry immense power. Narratives can be leveraged to spread false stories, seed illusions of separation, instill fear, and perpetuate harmful systems of oppression and injustice. And yet, they can also be used to humanize lived experiences, cultivate connection, cooperation and belonging, advance justice, and uplift the irrepressible truth of interdependence. In this current landscape, widespread misinformation is creating chaos and fear, and false narratives are being wielded to justify policies that dismantle racial equity, social justice, and community safety. 

“Owning the narrative means we bring forward the real story of resilience, of contribution, of communities that have always found ways to hold each other up even when systems have let them down. It means we connect with one another deeply enough that when one of us is weary, the rest of us lean in.” Emma 

In her opening remarks, Emma also highlighted the imagery chosen for the conference materials: mycorrhiza,the tiny, underground threadlike fungal structures that form symbiotic relationships with plant roots. Functionally, they transfer water, nutrients, and minerals and direct energy and resources where and when it is needed within ecosystems. Contemporary scientists like Suzanne Simard are discovering what indigenous wisdom has long known: a forest is not a collection of individual trees. Rather, it is a highly self-organized, cooperative, communicative, and cohesive community that can sustain life across generations because of these networks of mutual support. Similar to movements for social change, mycorrhizal networks demonstrate the unstoppable power of interdependent relationships and a shared responsibility for the common good. 

Emma then welcomed HealthSpark Foundation Board Chair Dr. Natasha Patterson to take the stage to recognize outgoing Board Member John Kepner and his nine years of dedicated service. John was a keeper of HealthSpark knowledge, holding invaluable historical perspectives that helped to thoughtfully shape and guide the foundation with courage, integrity and wisdom.   

Before participants engaged in a table talk activity to spark connection and reflection, HealthSpark Foundation’s Director of Operations Jen Malkoun took the stage to facilitate a mindfulness practice to ground participants in their bodies, breath, and capacity to engage in supportive self-care. 

Morning Plenary Panel: Voices On Protecting Our Communities 

We were honored to welcome Bucks County Sheriff Danny Ceisler and Montgomery County Sheriff Sean Kilkenny, joined by partners   Obed Arango,from Centro de Cultura, Arte, Trabajo y Educación (CCATE) and Heidi Roux, from The Welcome Project, for the opening plenary panel conversation moderated by Emma.  The panel explored how nonprofit organizations and government partners can work together to promote safety and wellbeing for residents, with a particular focus on immigrant communities. 

• Panelists discussed practical strategies for strengthening community safety, dispelled myths about local law enforcement, and identified concrete actions that organizations and individuals can take to support inclusive and secure neighborhoods and rebuild trust. 
• The conversation highlighted the need for solidarity and horizontal dialogue, deep listening, and understanding, and the importance of language as a mechanism for humanizing immigrant communities. 
• The dialogue also created space to share the real-life impacts that immigration enforcement has on families, communities, and local institutions, helping ground policy discussions in lived experience. 

Breakout Sessions 

Building Bridges: Standing With Our Immigrant Neighbors 

Supporting immigrant communities begins with a commitment to understanding diverse experiences. Moderator Muneera Walker, founder of Neighbors Helping Neighbors on the Main Line (HealthSpark grantee partner), was joined in conversation by The Welcome Project PA Executive Director Josh Blakesley (HealthSpark grantee partner), Woori Center Executive Director Mel Lee (HealthSpark grantee partner), and Ursinus College students Ashely Ortiz Ruiz and Nataly Torres-Miron.  

• Panelists shared strategies for strengthening community partnerships, elevating lived experiences through ethical storytelling, and fostering inclusive spaces where everyone belongs. 
• They emphasized the need to engage with empathy, bridge cultural divides, and create opportunities for shared understanding and meaningful impact.  
• Together they explored how thoughtful engagement and collaboration can advance immigrant rights while building stronger, more connected communities.  
• They highlighted approaches for listening deeply, shifting narratives, and identifying collective actions that make a real difference.  

Holding Space: Wellbeing, Vulnerability, and Care in Challenging Times 

In a moment when so many people are feeling stretched, overwhelmed, and uncertain, conversations about wellbeing feel more important than ever. This panel created space to reflect on what it really means to care for ourselves and one another—not just in theory, but in practice. 

Participants joined Mydera Taliah Robinson, Executive Director of Theater Horizon and Norristown Council person, and Sherry Wherry, Trauma Coalition Coordinator for Bucks-Mont Collaborative and YWCA TriCounty Director of Mission Initiatives in a timely and important conversation about how tending to personal well being is an act of love that sustains collective movements for social change. 

Together, Mydera and Sherry explored practical ways to lean into self-care and vulnerability during difficult times and introduced participants to the nine dimensions of wellness. 

• They dialogued about what it means to show up honestly when things are hard and how do we build resilience without losing our humanity.  
• They also guided participants through how can care—personal, communal, and spiritual— can become a source of strength rather than another task on the list. 

Making Affordable Housing Work — Local Action and Cross-Sector Solutions 

Addressing the need for affordable housing takes more than action from local government—it requires coordination across sectors. Moderated by Wyatt Schroeder, Director of Hemlock & Forge, a supportive housing agency focused on addressing homelessness and housing equity in Pennsylvania and Delaware, this session brought together perspectives from lending, consulting, and community-based development models to explore how zoning, permitting, and local policies can either support or slow progress.  

Panelist Tracy Purdy has dedicated her career to advancing equitable housing, historic preservation, and civic engagement and currently serves as Executive Director for Mosaic Community Land Trust in Pottstown. While panelist Angie Williamson, Executive Director of Jumpstart Germantown and Jumpstart Philly, leads efforts to expand access to real estate development opportunities for local aspiring developers by providing critical financing and guidance to projects that strengthen neighborhoods. 

• Panelists shared practical, real-world examples from the local level, including public-private partnerships, community-driven strategies, and innovative models such as community land trusts that preserve long-term affordability.  
• The conversation also examined persistent challenges—such as regulatory barriers, access to capital, and land constraints—and how stronger cross-sector collaboration can help overcome them. 

Speak Up, Be Heard: How Advocacy Makes a Difference 

Advocacy is more than a strategy—it’s the heartbeat of community change. Participants joined moderator Correne Kristiansen, Collaborative Advocacy Network Coordinator at Bucks-Mont Collaborative, and panelists State Representative Joe Ciresi of the 146th Legislative, Douglas Eschbach, Executive Director of Generations of the Indian Valley, and Blessing Osazuwa, Organizer with Montco30% Project. 

• Panelists shared how individuals and organizations can influence policies, amplify community voices, and create tangible impact.  
• Through compelling stories and practical insights, panelists highlighted how advocacy has shaped programs and strengthened local communities.  
• Panelists also shared strategies on how to advocate for better housing policy in Harrisburg, fairer housing and zoning distribution throughout Montgomery County, and additional funding to reduce homelessness and create more affordable housing. 

Lunchtime Panel: From Voice to Power: Youth Leadership as a Movement and Closing Insights

Youth voice is not just a moment—it’s a movement. Across communities, workplaces, and civic spaces, emerging leaders are stepping forward with clarity, purpose, and a deep commitment to change. They are not only sharing their perspectives—they are shaping conversations, influencing decisions, and redefining what leadership looks like today. 

As conference participants ate lunch in the main ballroom, HealthSpark Foundation Board Member Jarrett James Lash introduced the dynamic youth panelists to close out the day:  Liyan Alkawafhah, Assistant Director of the Middle East Center at the University of Pennsylvania, Jojo Dalwadi, External Affairs Department, Montgomery County, and Ethan Rodriguez, Lead - PAYCE Ambassador Program, PA Youth Vote. 

• Together they explored how youth voices grow from expression to real influence.  
• Panelists shared how their personal experiences shaped their desire to lead and create policy change. 
• They demonstrated how youth are driving meaningful, lasting change, what it takes to turn perspective into progress. 

After the panel, HealthSpark Program Officer Akshara Vivekananthan closed the event with a reflection on the importance of how we hold and honor identity. She spoke to the experience many people share of navigating whether to accommodate others or fully embrace parts of themselves, and how powerful it can be to move toward pride and ownership. 

She reminded us that owning our narratives collectively means showing up for one another. In small ways, like saying someone's name correctly, and in bigger ways, like advocating for people's rights. Our actions shape how we affirm one another's identities and stories. It all matters.  

Convenings like the Community of Practice are designed to support and uplift community leaders, facilitate connections across and within sectors, share resources and information, and forge stronger, more resilient and cooperative networks of authentic relationships. Together we can achieve healthy, equitable, and hopeful communities throughout Montgomery County. As HealthSpark Board Chair Dr. Natasha Patterson, noted, “Community it’s not just sometimes, it is who we are.” 

Coming up:

• Join the virtual CCATE x HealthSpark Town Hall on Wednesday, April 29 from 12 - 1 PM to hear insights from the newly released CCATE x HealthSpark Community Assembly Report, which captures key takeaways from a recent gathering that brought us together - to listen, connect, and solution our collective response to the challenges facing our immigrant neighbors. Join us to hear a summary of what we learned, reflect on the priorities that emerged, and explore the next steps we can take - together - to support our immigrant neighbors and strengthen our community. Register here.
• We're launching a three-part Immigrant Rights Action Learning Series. This program is designed to strengthen the capacity of community to understand, respond to, and advance immigrant rights. Together, we will build shared knowledge, center lived experience, and examine the narratives that shape our work and communities. This series is in partnership with ACLAMO, CCATE, Jaisohn Center, The Welcome Project, and the Woori Center. Register here.