Articles by Cliff Despres

Rising Number of Cities, Counties Are Declaring Racism a Public Health Crisis

July 7, 2020

racism as a public health crisis cities counties us

Amid protests for racial justice and an end to police brutality in the wake of the death of George Floyd, a rising number of U.S. local leaders are creating city and county resolutions to declare racism a public health crisis and also commit to specific actions, as a first step toward lasting, meaningful change. In fact, a record 57 cities and other governmental entities approved resolutions to declare racism a public health crisis in June 2020, according to Michigan cartographer Alex B. Hill on Twitter on July 6, 2020. That brings the total to 90 governmental entities, according to Hill's map graphic. Where Are Resolutions on Racism Happening? Since 2019, at least 24 resolutions have been introduced or adopted, according to the Network for Public Health Law. Most recently, ...

Need Help? Erine Gray’s FindHelp.org Can Connect You to Local Social Services amid Coronavirus

June 25, 2020

Erine Gray, founder of auntbertha and findhelp.org social services websites, with his mother in Austin Texas

When he was 16, Erine Gray's mother caught the rare brain disease encephalitis, causing permanent damage and memory loss. Gray moved his mother to Austin, Texas, a few years later to help care for her. He was just out of college with an economics degree, doing contract work. She was 57 years old at the time with early-onset dementia, and no income. He struggled helping her with daily tasks and making sure she took her medications. Gray had to find a sitter for her when he left the house. Eventually she required 24-hour care. "Nobody has a road map for these types of situations, I learned that very early on," Gray said in an interview with Salud America! "We didn’t know what services were available to help." That's why, now 28 years after his mother's diagnosis, Gray is ...

San Bernardino County Is 1st in California to Declare Racism a Public Health Crisis

June 24, 2020

diverse fists to declare racism a public health crisis

In San Bernardino County (50% Latino), the Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 this week to make it California's first county to adopt a resolution to declare racism as a public health crisis, the L.A. Times reports. The resolution recognizes that racism "creates unfair disadvantages to some individuals and communities" and "results in disparities in family stability, health and mental wellness, education, employment, economic development, public safety, criminal justice and housing." In addition, the resolution commits to action, according to the report: Enhance diversity in the county workforce; Study existing county policies and practices "through a lens of racial equality to promote and support efforts that prioritize health for people of color"; Plan collaborations ...

We’re Hiring for a Communications Specialist Position!

June 23, 2020

IHPR communications specialist for salud america

We're seeking a top-notch communications specialist to join our communication team at Salud America!, our national Latino health equity organization based at the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at UT Health San Antonio. The position will write, edit, and communicate health content and messages for the IHPR. This includes digital content curation for the IHPR's Salud America! project, as well as assisting in the production of numerous IHPR internal and external communication vehicles, such as newsletters, email blasts, presentations, websites, social media, press releases and more. Apply Now! Details for the Communications Specialist Position A bachelor's degree and two years of related experience is required. Also preferred experience includes: Knowledge ...

Webinar 6/29/20: Why Are We Dying? Race, Ethnicity and Health Justice in the COVID-19 Pandemic

June 22, 2020

COVID-19 can affect anyone. But the coronavirus pandemic is impacting Latinos and other communities of color more severely. This is why Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, is joining a webinar to discuss issues and solutions to COVID-19 health disparities. The webinar, "Why Are We Dying? Race, Ethnicity and Health Justice in the COVID-19 Pandemic," is set for 11 a.m. CST Monday, June 29, 2020. The event is sponsored by PanPals.com, a program at the Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics at UT Health San Antonio. Register for the webinar. The webinar features: Amelie Ramirez, DrPH, Professor and Chair, Department of Population Health Sciences and Director, Institute for Health Promotion Research, UT Health San Antonio. Dr. Ramirez ...

Dr. Amelie Ramirez Featured in ‘The Cancer Health 25: Change Makers’

June 22, 2020

Amelie Ramirez komen scholar cancer research

Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, has been named one of the "The Cancer Health 25: Change Makers" by Cancer Health magazine. The magazine recognizes individuals who "make a difference every day." "They have each experienced cancer, either personally or through someone they love," according to the magazine. "And it has changed them, made them want to give back and given them a mission to make a difference for others living with cancer." Dr. Ramirez & Her Healthy Equity Research For more than 30 years, Ramirez gained experience developing research and communication models to improve Latino health locally and nationally. Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez Her studies have increased cancer screening and survivorship. Specifically, her patient ...

CDC: 55% of U.S. Coronavirus Cases Are Latino, Black

June 16, 2020

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Latinos and Blacks together comprise 55% of coronavirus cases, nearly double their U.S. population makeup, according to new CDC data. Overall, Latinos were 33% of COVID-19 cases and Blacks were 22% in an analysis of 1.3 million lab-confirmed coronavirus cases reported to CDC during January 22-May 30, 2020. These are much higher rates than Latinos and Black representation in the U.S. population (18% and 13%). The new CDC data reinforce the disparate impact of COVID-19 on Latinos amid worsening historical inequities. "As protests against systemic racism in policing take place nationwide following the death of 46-year-old George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody, the pandemic continues to show similar discrepancies in healthcare and economics," Forbes reports on the CDC ...

55,000 People Speak Up to Help Shape Dietary Guidelines for Americans

June 11, 2020

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55,564 people—including members of Salud America!—submitted public comments to help shape the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. A federal advisory committee will consider the public comments, collected from March 2019 to June 2020, as they create a scientific report to inform the new dietary guidelines. Our members made over 250 comments to add water to the MyPlate/MiPlato graphic, reduce added sugars, and promote dietary equity. The USDA and HHS will use the scientific report and comments to draft the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. But don't worry if you missed commenting! USDA and HHS will open a new comment period for the advisory committee's scientific report around July 15, 2020. "We're excited that so many people spoke up for equitable ...

Dr. Amelie Ramirez Wins Digital Health Awards for Spring 2020

June 9, 2020

Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez and her team at Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio have won a "silver award" for promoting Latino health equity from the Spring 2020 Digital Health Awards! Digital Health Awards are given each spring and fall to recognize the world’s best digital health resources. The awards are given by the Health Information Resource Center. The Center is a national clearinghouse for professionals who work in consumer health fields. Here are the Salud America! award recipients: Silver, Spring 2020 Digital Health Awards, Web-Based Digital Health—Digital Content Curation, Salud America! Latino Health Equity Website, featuring the work of Dr. Ramirez and digital content curators Josh McCormack, Amanda Merck, and Pramod Sukumaran. Dr. Ramirez and Salud America! ...

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Cliff Despres

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