This paper reviews the advocacy efforts, community organizing, establishment, operation, and lessons learned from a project in Hamilton, ON to found the first ever COVID-19 clinic for Black & other racialized people, people with disabilities and those experiencing barriers to access to COVID-19 vaccinations. Community advocates, academics, health leaders who are from and serve Black and other racialized and marginalized groups in Hamilton responded to the overwhelming impacts of COVID-19 on marginalized Black and other racialized groups in Hamilton through relational solidarities that allowed for community members to lead the design, and operation of the clinic, to serve those most in need, with the knowledge and expertise most capable of such an intervention. Through resistance of officials to take action, racist backlash, problematic organizational and institutional responses to the need of Black and other racialized community leaders, the Restoration House clinic advocates and community leaders responded to needs by maintaining focus on community through collective solidarities. The Restoration House model offers several contributions to how we think about community/public health advocacy, organizing and operational interventions through crises and beyond.
