Centering History, Empathy, and Equity: In Context at the 2025 CAAP Summit

by Rachel Ryan, Enlight Media 

Enlight Media’s Patrice Jones speaking at the CAAP Summit

At this year’s CAAP Summit in Harrisburg, PA, community action leaders from across the state came together to recommit to the work on equity and justice while sharing knowledge and sharpening strategies. The event, hosted by the Community Action Association of Pennsylvania, whose mission is to “strengthen, advocate for, and empower the state network of Community Action Agencies to effectively address issues of poverty,” served as both a professional convening and a space of collective reflection—a reminder that even amid shifting political winds, community-driven advocacy remains a powerful force. 

The Summit’s message was clear: this is a moment for courage, not complacency. Across plenaries and breakout sessions, the focus stayed grounded in activism, resilience, and the systems-level change required to serve communities most impacted by structural injustice. 

Our very own co-founder of In Context, Patrice Jones, led a session titled We Have History: The Search for Universal Empathy Through Context. Drawing from In Context, a video-based learning platform, the presentation explored how historical events like Bacon’s Rebellion, redlining, and the fractured, yet impactful coalition of first-wave feminism, continue to shape policy, perception, and opportunity in the present. 

Jones recalls that the audience “responded especially strongly” to the module on housing discrimination and education, which illustrated how past policies limiting Black homeownership continue to affect generational wealth, educational access, and neighborhood stability today. The interactive discussion that followed revealed a deep desire among attendees to connect historical insight to their day-to-day work in community development, housing, and advocacy. 

Throughout the session, participants engaged in reflection, group dialogue, and storytelling—building connections between personal histories and the broader systems in which they operate.  

The energy in the room made one thing clear: people are not just looking for tools, they’re looking for context. They want to understand how we got here—and how to move forward, together. 

Discover how your organization can drive meaningful change—reach out to Info@InContextNow.com.