From Newark To Harlem: HAVA Institute And VEEC Expand Torchlight To West Africa

NEW YORK - EntSun -- What began as a small Rutgers-funded initiative to address vaccine confidence and health equity has grown into a movement connecting communities, healthcare professionals, educators, and partners across New Jersey, New York, and Côte d'Ivoire.

Following its Newark gathering, HAVA Institute and the Vaccine Equity Education Coalition (VEEC) are bringing that work to Harlem.

On July 25, 2026, HAVA Institute and VEEC will host "Torchlight to West Africa: A Diaspora Culture of Health Forum" at St. Nicholas Park in Harlem. The free community event will bring together residents, healthcare leaders, educators, and local organizations for a day of health, culture, and community connection.

The forum will feature free health screenings, health education and resources, and cultural demonstrations including West African drumming and dance performances, creating opportunities for community members to engage with health in ways that are accessible, relevant, and grounded in everyday life.

The health screenings and education offerings are designed to reflect some of the most pressing health challenges facing Harlem communities, ensuring the convening directly responds to local needs while creating pathways for connection to care and resources.

As part of the event, participants will also contribute to care packages for children in Youpougon, a community in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, where HAVA Institute is building partnerships to support maternal and child health and community well-being.

The Harlem event is part of a journey that began in 2022 with a Rutgers University grant, which helped launch VEEC as a community-centered approach to addressing health disparities. What started as a local effort has grown into a network of partnerships working to strengthen trust and advance health equity across communities.

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That work continues to be guided by a simple idea: trust shapes how communities experience health.

"When we first started, I thought we were addressing information gaps. What communities taught us was something much more important. People were looking for trusted relationships—people they knew, people who listened, and people who understood their lived experiences. That insight changed the trajectory of our work," said Dr. Hajar Shirley, Founder of VEEC and Co-Founder of HAVA Institute.

In Harlem, that insight comes to life through partnership.

HAVA Institute and VEEC are working alongside organizations including the Harlem Health Initiative, Public Health Solutions in Harlem, and a growing network of community-based partners to support community-led approaches to health and well-being.  These partnerships bring together community organizations, public health leaders, healthcare providers, and advocates to ensure the forum reflects local priorities and strengthens pathways to care, resources, and ongoing engagement beyond the event.

"What makes this work meaningful is seeing how it comes to life in community. In Harlem, we are learning alongside partners and residents, creating space for connection, conversation, and shared ownership of health. That is where trust begins," said Shirley.

"Together, we are showing that culture is not separate from health—it is how trust is built, and trust is the foundation that allows communities to engage, connect, and thrive."

For HAVA Institute Co-Founder and Cultural Ambassador Vado Diomande, culture plays an essential role in building those connections.  Born into the Mahou traditions of Côte d'Ivoire and later a principal dancer with the Ballet National de Côte d'Ivoire, Diomande has spent decades sharing Ivorian culture around the world.

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"Growing up in Côte d'Ivoire taught me that culture is one of the ways communities pass knowledge from one generation to the next. Through music, dance, storytelling, and tradition, people learn who they are, where they come from, and how they care for one another. When people feel connected to their culture and history, there is a stronger foundation for trust, unity, and action."

At the forum, Diomande will bring these traditions to life through West African dance performances, drumming, and interactive storytelling, creating opportunities for participants to experience culture as a shared space for connection, learning, and community engagement.

The forum reflects a broader effort to connect local communities with global partnerships focused on maternal and child health and equitable access to care, bringing together voices from across sectors to support shared learning and collaboration.

"This journey started with a small grant and a question about trust. Along the way, it became a community effort, then a statewide initiative, and now a growing global network of partnerships. I'm continually inspired by what becomes possible when people from different backgrounds, sectors, and communities come together to learn from one another and work toward healthier futures," said Shirley.

Event Information

Torchlight to West Africa: A Diaspora Culture of Health Forum

Date: July 25, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: St. Nicholas Park (135th Street Plaza), Harlem, New York

The Event Will Include

• Free health screenings
• Health education and community resources
• West African drumming and dance performances
• Interactive storytelling and community engagement
• Opportunities to connect with local organizations and partners
• Community care package assembly supporting Côte d'Ivoire

For more information:
www.havainstitute.com
www.vaxequityedu.com