Empowering Internal Champions in Black/African American Churches: Facilitators,Barriers,and the Role of Academic Partners

Abstract

Health for Hearts United provides valuable insights into the role of Internal Champions (IC) in promoting health within church-based settings. ICs’ success depends not only on their personal traits and motivation but also on the community support and social networks that academic partners can help facilitate. Our findings suggest that, beyond their traditional roles, academic partners can significantly contribute to program success by providing emotional support, fostering a sense of belonging, and nurturing community relationships. Moving forward, future research should further explore how academic partners can integrate more deeply into community dynamics to promote long-term sustainability and engagement in church-based health interventions.