What Community Health Work Actually Is with Ma’ta Crawford

“If it’s not equal for one of us, it’s not equal for any of us.”Ma’ta Crawford, a Certified Community Health Worker, has never been able to leave her field of health equity work — she says there is always more work to be done.  She serves as a member of the HEAL (Health Equity Action Leadership) Board, a community-led advisory board supported by LiveWell Greenville and the Institute for the Advancement of Community Health at Furman University. The board is composed of diverse community leaders and residents who work to advance health equity and improve health outcomes across Greenville County. Through relationship-building, advocacy, and community engagement, the HEAL Board seeks to strengthen trust, build community capacity to influence larger systems, and elevate community voices in decision-making processes.In this episode, IACH Researcher Jody Teel sits down with Ma'ta to explore:What makes the HEAL Board feel like a family to her Why she continues to show up for this work, even when it is difficultHer favorite memories from working with her teamMa'ta shares her core values around learning from people with lived experience, building trust, and moving through life with an open mind while staying true to yourself.