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Health
Jane Perkins, litigation director of WKKF grantee the National Health Law Program, will receive the Grantmakers In Health 2025 Andy Hyman Award for Advocacy. The award recognizes advocacy grantees who embody a commitment to principled action, passionate leadership to advance social change and dedication to making progress in policy and practice during changing political environments. Throughout her 40-year career, Perkins has litigated over 40 high-profile lawsuits protecting health care access for all. This includes landmark litigation that blocked work requirements for Medicaid coverage from 2017 through 2020, saving hundreds of thousands from losing health care access. Her work spans Medicaid eligibility, procedural due process rights, children’s preventive care and more. This marks the second consecutive year a WKKF grantee has been recognized with this honor. Joan Alker at the Center for Children & Families at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University was last year’s recipient.
Education
A WKKF grant designed to facilitate the development and implementation of clear and consistent education in dual languages for pre-K through 12th grade resulted in a notable achievement. The Las Cruces Public Schools’ Dual Language Pathway Program awarded 155 students a New Mexico State Seal of Bilingualism and Biliteracy on their high school diplomas. This marked a record 162 seals awarded — including seven students who earned seals for two languages. The seal recognizes graduates proficient in English and at least one additional language, certifying their skills for college, career and community service. The ceremony celebrated cultural pride, academic excellence and the district’s commitment to multilingual education and equity. The program seeks to address the disparities identified in the landmark Martinez-Yazzie vs. New Mexico civil rights lawsuit by creating a clear focus on racial and language equity for historically marginalized students.
Mexico
In June 2025, the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues released its 24th session report. The report offers a series of bold recommendations about how governments around the world can better support Indigenous communities. Among them was a landmark call for the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization and Member States to recognize Indigenous midwifery as an “autonomous ancestral practice and a critical determinant of health.” The forum also urged governments to decriminalize Indigenous midwifery, provide sustainable funding for Indigenous-led maternal care and integrate midwifery into national health systems. This international recognition marks a significant step forward for Indigenous communities who have long advocated for the respect and support of their traditional birth practices. To explore the personal stories of midwives and birth workers leading this movement, explore WKKF’s Caring with Courage series.
Michigan
Black Tech Saturdays, a Detroit-based grantee, has received a $1 million grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to expand its programming statewide. The funding — the largest awarded through MEDC’s Trusted Connector Grant program — will support micro workshops in Detroit and Lansing and fund pitch competitions for entrepreneurs. Founded in 2023 by Johnnie and Alexa Turnage, the group has quickly grown into a vital hub for Black tech founders seeking community, mentorship and resources.
Detroit-based grantee Black Mothers Breastfeeding Association is calling for the creation and funding of a statewide community doula network to address Michigan’s racial disparities in maternal and infant health. In a new report, the nonprofit highlights how doulas — who advocate for and support expectant mothers — can help reduce pregnancy-related deaths and complications, especially among Black women. The group urges the adoption of sustainable funding models that ensure equitable pay and long-term access to culturally appropriate doula care.
Impact investing
Many business owners dream of building a business that can outlast them. But Cameron Stevens, founder of Accent Landscape Contractors in El Paso, Texas, worried that selling his 40-year-old business in a traditional merger would mean layoffs and disruption for the company’s workers. Instead, Stevens turned to Apis & Heritage Capital Partners to help him “exit responsibly.” Apis & Heritage helps businesses like Accent transition to 100% employee-owned entities without burdensome costs to the business owner or workers. Todd Leverette, Apis & Heritage’s co-founder and managing partner, recently sat down with Impact Alpha’s Impact(ed) Podcast to share how their investments help low- or moderate-income workers feel connected to business success while building wealth for their families and future.
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