Community-Clinical Linkages
According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, community-clinical linkages are connections between community and clinical sectors to improve the health of a community. For Multnomah County REACH, this means working with local organizations and other government programs to connect people to health resources and information.
One of the ways we engage in community-clinical linkage is by creating opportunities for community members to make healthy lifestyle changes. Health and resource fairs like Reclaiming Black Joy allow us to connect residents to local resources, organizations and opportunities that improve health, like access to fresh produce and free group exercise events.
Reclaiming Black Joy and Juneteenth
For the past several summers, Multnomah County Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (PHP) has worked with our partners to host gatherings celebrating Black and African culture, resilience and joy. In 2024, Multnomah County started organizing a Reclaiming Black Joy event on Juneteenth (June 19), a holiday created by Black Americans and formalized by the federal government. Juneteenth marks the day the last enslaved people in the South learned they were free, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. It has now become an annual tradition to host a Juneteenth Reclaiming Black Joy event.
Reclaiming Black Joy draws hundreds to thousands of participants every year for food, music, culture and family-friendly fun. These events promote anti-violence and community rebuilding in Portland's historic Black neighborhoods and in East County. RBJ allows people to gather and exercise kinship and promotes redevelopment after years of divestment, gentrification and marginalization.
Reclaiming Black Joy events offer a range of free activities including food, music, poetry readings, hair braiding and haircuts, raffles, information on services, face painting, photo booths, vaccinations and more. These events take place at various parks and community hubs and revitalize businesses and neighborhoods while connecting people to community health resources and other initiatives.
Visit the REACH Facebook page to see photos of past events.
Read a press release about a Reclaiming Black Joy event in 2023 .
Juneteenth Reclaiming Black Joy 2026
Coming soon: June 19
