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Forge AHEAD Center

Partnering with Communities to Improve Health and Well-Being

Forge AHEAD Center

Partnering with Communities to Improve Health and Well-Being

Forge AHEAD Center

Partnering with Communities to Improve Health and Well-Being

A Collaborative Center for Community Health Research

 

The Forge AHEAD Center is a regional research center focused on improving the prevention and management of cardiometabolic conditions—including obesity, diabetes, and hypertension—that impact many individuals across Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Through collaborative research and strong community partnerships, we work to support healthier outcomes and expand access to evidence-based health solutions.

Funded by a grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), Forge AHEAD Center is a part of the Health Equity Action Network.  

Institutional Partners Advancing Community Health Research

Forge AHEAD Center is a partnership between institutions working together to develop the best approaches to research, education, and community engagement.

Our Vision for a Healthier Future

The vision of the Forge AHEAD Center is to improve health outcomes related to diabetes, obesity, and hypertension across the South through collaborative research, training, outreach, and education. We pursue this vision by building strong partnerships with academic institutions, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders to expand access to effective, evidence-informed health strategies.

Guiding Principles for Improving Health Outcomes

 

 

Teamwork

Belonging, Access, and Collaboration

EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH

TRUSTWORTHINESS

Transparency

Innovation

Advancing Better Health for All Through Data, Partnership, and Local Solutions

The Forge AHEAD Center is committed to addressing urgent health challenges affecting communities across our region. Cardiometabolic conditions—including obesity, diabetes, and hypertension—continue to impact individuals at high rates, particularly in the Deep South. This region experiences some of the highest prevalence of these conditions in the United States, along with lower average life expectancy.

These health challenges are especially pronounced among individuals living in under-resourced areas and among Black Americans in the region. Through research, partnerships, and community engagement, our goal is to support meaningful improvements in health outcomes and expand access to effective prevention and care strategies. This will require a precision public health approach, best viewed as “providing the right intervention to the right population at the right time.” This approach acknowledges the importance of context, culture, individual beliefs, and preferences, and emphasizes the needs for intervention on multiple levels addressing several areas of health and wellness.

 In The News & Local Events

Mindful living, better living: supporting diabetes care through stress relief in Alabama’s Black Belt

In Alabama’s Black Belt region, the number of adults living with type 2 diabetes is far above the national average. In some counties, like Wilcox and Perry, nearly 1 in 5 adults—about 19%—have been diagnosed with the condition.

Lifting each other up: how peer support is transforming chronic disease management

“People with similar health challenges can truly lift each other up,” said Michele Heisler, M.D., Professor at the University of Michigan, during a Forge AHEAD seminar at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Finding peace in the heart of Alabama: how yoga can help heart patients stay sharp

Living with heart failure can feel like a daily battle—not just for your body, but for your mind. Many people with heart failure also experience mild cognitive impairment, which is a real condition characterized by problems with memory, language, and judgment. It’s not just “getting older”. It’s a real condition that can make managing your health even harder.

Self-care, support, and stress awareness

April is Stress Awareness Month—a meaningful time to reflect on how stress impacts our well-being and to find supportive ways to care for ourselves and one another. For Sisters4Self-Care Ambassador Erika Parker, this isn’t just a seasonal message—it’s a lifelong mission rooted in community strength, daily intention, and holistic wellness.

Forge AHEAD Center welcomes champion for community engagement in Louisiana

The Forge AHEAD Center is excited to welcome Andrea Pickett, Louisiana Clinical and Translational Science Center (LA CaTS) Community Engagement and Outreach Program coordinator at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, to our growing team.

Forge AHEAD Center launches Community Micro-Grant Program to strengthen health initiatives across the deep south

The Forge AHEAD Center is proud to announce the launch of its Community Micro-Grant Program, an initiative designed to support organizations in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi that are working to improve health outcomes related to diabetes, obesity, and hypertension.

Enhancing food access in Mississippi: How Stewpot and Mississippi Food Network are driving community solutions

What if accessing your next nutritious meal was uncertain? For nearly one in six Mississippians, this is a daily reality.

Bridging science and action: three scholars tackle heart health challenges

The March event featured three Forge AHEAD scholars who shared their research on addressing cardiovascular health through behavioral interventions. Their work, spanning financial wellness, food insecurity, and maternal health, highlights the need for integrated solutions that go beyond traditional public health approaches.

Exploring genetics, nutrition, and food access in Baton Rouge

Where you live shouldn’t determine your ability to access fresh, nutritious food. But for many in North Baton Rouge, it does. In parts of Baton Rouge—especially North Baton Rouge and Scotlandville—accessing fresh, nutritious food is a challenge rather than a choice.

Follow-up: how nutrition is transforming maternal health in Alabama

Last year, Forge AHEAD featured the work of Camille Worthington, Ph.D., RDN, an assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, who is studying how home-delivered meals could improve pregnancy outcomes for Medicaid-eligible women in Alabama.

Our Projects

Our Services

People & Partners

Work With Us to Improve Health Outcomes

Contact us today to learn more about the Forge AHEAD Center, our research, and how to partner with us.

Cite Forge AHEAD's Grant

Forge AHEAD Center is a regional comprehensive research center funded by a P50 grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD). Click below for citation information.

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