A Legacy of Healing

June 23, 2025July 17, 2025 The Positive Community

Debra Fraser-Howze’s Unwavering Fight for Health Equity

Debra Fraser-Howze’s extraordinary life is a testament to resilience, leadership, and the power of faith.
After suffering a debilitating stroke last summer, her miraculous recovery stands as a symbol of the unwavering spirit that has defined her more than four-decade-long fight for health equity. Through her triumph over adversity, Fraser-Howze continues to champion the belief that the Black church is not just a place of worship, but a safe haven that connects individuals to health, education, and essential community services.

“I’ve always believed that the church is more than a sanctuary—it’s where healing begins,” said Fraser-Howze. “When we open the church doors to healthcare, we open the community to hope.”

From the early days of the HIV/AIDS crisis to the COVID-19 pandemic, Fraser-Howze has led with a voice rooted in lived experience and a deep commitment to empowering underserved Black communities. Her work has solidified the Black church as a central hub for reclaiming health, hope, and opportunity.

A Journey of Vision and Determination

Born on November 11, 1952, Debra Fraser-Howze began her life under challenging circumstances. A mother at 15 and again at 17, she defied expectations by excelling at the Martha Neilson School for Pregnant Girls in the Bronx, eventually earning a full scholarship to Hunter College. Her experience navigating systemic barriers as a young Black mother fueled her determination to challenge inequities in public health.

Her early career included launching teenage pregnancy programs at Harlem churches through the National Urban League. These initiatives prepared young women for the workforce and affirmed Fraser-Howze’s belief in the Black church as an anchor of community well-being.

“I know what it means to be overlooked, to be counted out,” she said. “That’s why I made it my life’s work to make sure no one feels invisible when it comes to their health.”

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Fraser-Howze takes immense pride in her role as a mother. She raised two daughters who earned graduate degrees from Harvard and Columbia Universities.

Breaking Ground in HIV/AIDS Advocacy

Fraser-Howze’s national impact began in 1987 with the founding of the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS (NBLCA), which she led for 21 years. Encouraged by leaders like Rev. Calvin O. Butts III and Mayor David Dinkins, she tackled the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS in Black communities. Working with allies such as Assemblyman Al Vann and Congressman Charles Rangel, she secured state and city funding to support clergy-based HIV/AIDS advocacy programs.

A defining moment came in 1998 when Fraser-Howze helped author the Minority AIDS Initiative, securing billions in federal HHS funding for underserved communities. During the height of the AIDS crisis, she collaborated with Dr. Anthony Fauci, chairing a community constituency group that brought activists into clinical trial discussions. She also served on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS under Presidents Clinton and Bush.

“We didn’t wait for someone to save us—we built coalitions, demanded action, and fought for every dollar,” she recalled. “Health equity isn’t a gift. It’s something we fight for every day.”

“Debra has a rare ability to secure funding where others saw roadblocks,” said Sandra Thurman, former director of the Office of National AIDS Policy. “Because of her, we were able to expand HIV prevention and care programs that served the local community in real, tangible ways. Her work literally saved hundreds of thousands of lives.”

Bridging Public Health and Innovation

Fraser-Howze’s forward-thinking leadership extended into the private sector. At OraSure Technologies, she helped develop several rapid infectious disease tests, including the first FDA-approved in-home rapid HIV test—a groundbreaking achievement that increased access to testing—as well as the first rapid Ebola test, used widely during the Ebola crisis in Africa.

“Debra brought a vision that merged public health with private-sector innovation,” said Douglas Michels, former president and CEO of OraSure. “She was instrumental in building public-private partnerships that brought life-saving diagnostics to the communities that needed them most.”

Choose Healthy Life: A Model of Faith and Equity

Fraser-Howze’s vision came full circle in 2020 when she founded Choose Healthy Life (CHL) in response to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black communities. She mobilized the infrastructure of the Black church to deliver urgently needed health resources.

“During COVID, everyone kept asking, ‘When are we going back to normal?’ and I said, ‘We’re not going back to normal—because we died in normal.’”

Under her leadership, sanctuaries became trusted health hubs.

“We launched Choose Healthy Life with the belief that health is a civil right,” she said. “If the government couldn’t get into our communities, the church could.”

A longtime advocate for health education, Fraser-Howze also serves on the board of Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, championing equity-focused strategies in public health.

“For decades my good friend Debra has had the courage and visionary leadership to fight public health disparities that were too often overlooked,” said Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock, a member of Choose Healthy Life’s National Black Clergy Health Leadership Council. “In our shared mission to create what Dr. King called our beloved community where all God’s children are cared for, she has been steadfast in praying with her lips and her legs.”

Through CHL, she built a national network of over 120 Black churches in 13 states. These churches have hosted more than 10,000 wellness events and reached over 24 million people. By funding and embedding trained health navigators within church communities, CHL has demonstrated that faith-based institutions are essential lifelines for underserved populations.

“While others run from crises, Debra runs toward them,” said Rev. Al Sharpton, who co-chairs CHL’s National Black Clergy Health Leadership Council. “She had the vision to see that our churches weren’t just places of worship—they could be centers of healing. That’s the brilliance of Choose Healthy Life.”

Fraser-Howze also brought together a medical advisory board of top public health experts, including Dr. Donna Christensen, Dr. Louis Sullivan, Dr. Thomas Frieden, Dr. Reed Tuckson, Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, and Dr. Melissa Clarke.

With the support of founding partner the Quest Diagnostics Foundation, CHL distributed COVID-19 test kits, administered vaccines to over 350,000 people, and more recently, provided Blueprint for Wellness screenings to more than 25,000 individuals. These screenings offer critical diagnostics for chronic diseases through a simple blood draw, helping community members take charge of their health.

Today, Fraser-Howze, a long-time member of Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem N.Y., serves as Founder and Board Chair of Choose Healthy Life. Leadership of the organization is now in the hands of Rev. Kimberly L. Williams, who serves as President and CEO.

“Debra laid the foundation that made Choose Healthy Life possible,” said Rev. Williams. “She passed the torch, but she has never stopped fighting. Her vision continues to guide us, and her voice still echoes in every church, every community, and every family we serve.”

A Legacy Rooted in Faith

Fraser-Howze’s miraculous recovery from her stroke has only deepened her commitment to health equity. As ever, she views the experience through a spiritual lens.

“My healing is part of a bigger story,” she said. “It’s a reminder that even in our weakest moments, we can rise—with faith, with community, and with purpose.”

From city halls to White House commissions, from pulpits to boardrooms, Fraser-Howze has forged an enduring legacy of progress. Her leadership has made clear that every community, regardless of race or income, deserves the dignity of health.

And she is not done yet. In May 2024, Fraser-Howze earned her Master’s Degree in Theological Studies from the Moravian Seminary and is slated to become an ordained minister this fall.