In the United States, two and a half million residents live with aphasia, and this number increases by 200,000 annually. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that Black and Latino communities are more likely to have strokes than their white counterparts. Additionally, middle-aged Black people (between 45 and 64) are three times more likely than their white peers to have strokes.

This project will center people with aphasia, with an emphasis on people of color. We aim to drive innovation and diverse approaches in treating aphasia. We will shine a light on the need to train and recruit more diverse speech pathologists, healthcare and social services professionals.

Race Forward founder, Dr. Gary Delgado, a nationally recognized author, organizer, researcher, and activist on issues of race and social justice, has returned to organizing as a senior fellow to advance health equity in the treatment, prevention, and discussion of aphasia. Aphasia is a language disorder that affects a person’s ability to communicate. It can occur suddenly after a stroke or head injury, or develop overtime as a side effect to a brain tumor or other health condition.