Centering the Voices of Community Health Workers Through Digital Storytelling

Assessment of Need

Community health workers (CHWs) are a crucial part of the public health and health care systems. CHWs are a diverse workforce and often come from the very communities they serve, making them trusted frontline essential workers who deeply understand their community and assist as liaisons between disproportionately affected communities and health care systems (American Public Health Association, 2025). A significant amount of published literature demonstrates the positive impact of CHWs on reducing health disparities in chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and the cost-effectiveness of programs (Jack et al., 2017). Despite significant contributions of CHWs toward reducing health care disparities and inequities, they experience high levels of burnout, resulting in high turnover rates and poor integration within care teams or work environments (Scott et al., 2018). Research often shows the outcomes and impact of CHW programs, but few studies look at their own stories and what this work means to them personally. The unique insights gained by CHWs through their direct engagement with diverse communities are essential for addressing health disparities. Recognizing and amplifying their roles from their perspectives and voices validates their contributions and ensures that health equity initiatives are informed by real-world experience and community trust.

Digital Storytelling: Innovation and Strategy

Digital storytelling is a powerful method to capture compelling narratives that can be used to advocate for public health concerns and crises. This method utilizes multimedia tools, including images, audio, and video, to create a powerful and engaging story that conveys the message effectively to the audience (Gubrium, 2009). This novel project aims to increase awareness and highlight the CHW workforce utilizing a creative research method like digital video storytelling to engage them effectively.

The Patient Navigation & Community Health Worker Training program (PNCT) was the host site and collaborator for this project. PNCT focuses on the development, education, standardization, and sustainability of the growing CHW workforce (PNCT, 2025). Recruitment for the digital storytelling video was conducted via email, with an online flyer outlining the project details and information. PNCT’s partners and networks were contacted and met virtually to discuss the project. Site visits were conducted to learn about the work of CHWs, followed by interviews. Verbal consent was obtained from participants prior to recording. Video interviews lasted 30 to 40 minutes. A set of questions were asked during the interview such as “What does being a CHW mean to you? What is the best part of your work? What challenges in the CHW workforce do you wish could be addressed?” Videos were edited using the software CapCut. Interviews were compiled into brief videos using quotes from the CHWs, videos of them in their workplaces, and stock footage to add visual appeal.

Outcomes

A total of four CHWs were interviewed. The recorded videos were then edited to create videos highlighting CHWs’ insights and perspectives about their role. Finished videos were shared first with the CHW for review, feedback, and approval. The first video was promoted through a presentation that elicited significant and positive comments. The video series has been shared in newsletters and PNCT’s website (see Figure 1). The digital storytelling project has developed lasting connections that extend far beyond this initiative. The CHWs who shared their powerful narratives are collaborators and thought partners in helping to shape the efforts and approaches with PNCT. This series can be an educational resource for individuals exploring careers as CHWs and communicating their impact to employers, policymakers, and key decision-makers who allocate resources for CHWs.

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Figure 1

Cover Picture of the First Video

Lessons Learned

CHWs have diverse stories and experiences to share about their work, motivations, and passions for being part of the workforce. They shared stories where community members told them about the lasting impact they have made on their health and life by guiding and connecting them to appropriate services or educating them on various health topics. In addition, they discussed challenges in the workforce, such as limited funding for their positions, not feeling like they fully belong in their work environment and burnout. Despite facing barriers in the workforce, they persist in working hard and collaborating with the community due to their natural passion for the well-being of others.

We learned the significance of thoroughness in video editing and careful navigation of the organizational permissions of the CHWs we interviewed. Unexpected challenges included securing filming locations at CHWs’ organizations and requiring marketing leadership approval and release forms for audio and visual content. An agreement was made to acknowledge the organization names and not logos. These technical factors emphasized the importance of establishing clear permission protocols early in the process. It is also crucial to allocate enough time for building relationships and technical execution in digital storytelling projects, ensuring respect and accuracy in the messages from CHWs. Although this method requires a significant amount of time, it provides an authentic and emotionally impactful platform for CHWs to share their experiences, challenges, and successes, ultimately strengthening advocacy efforts for greater recognition and support of the CHW workforce within the health care system.

Implications for Practice

Communities that have been historically marginalized in public health decision-making have always had powerful voices, deep insight, and solutions rooted in their lived experiences. Our role as public health professionals is not to “give voice,” which can perpetuate harmful power dynamics, but rather to dismantle the systemic barriers that have excluded these voices from decision-making spaces. Similarly, our role is not to “empower” CHWs because they already possess power and influence within their communities. Instead, we must work to transform health care and public health systems to recognize CHW expertise. This means advocating for fair compensation, creating clear career pathways, and ensuring CHWs have meaningful roles in decision-making processes. Digital storytelling offers authentic engagement and representation from frontline workers that can resonate more deeply than traditional educational content. Through innovative methods and genuine partnerships, we can help ensure that communities most impacted by health inequities are central in shaping the policies and programs that affect their lives, offering a sustainable approach to sharing knowledge across diverse public health settings.