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Cliff Despres

Cliff Despres, who has more than a decade of experience in journalism and public relations, is communications director for Salud America! and its home base, the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio.

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Articles by Cliff Despres

New Action Pack: How to Start a School Food Pantry



About 1 in 6 children are food insecure. They don't know where their next meal is coming from. Fortunately, your school can help these students! The new Salud America! "School Food Pantry Action Pack" is a free guide to help school personnel talk to decision-makers, work through logistics, and start a School Food Pantry to help hungry students and reduce local food insecurity. A School Food Pantry accepts, stores, and redistributes donated and leftover food to students. The Action Pack was created by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio. Dr. Ramirez had input from Jenny Arredondo, nutrition director at San Antonio ISD, who started school food pantries on 10 campuses in 2017-18, based on a Texas law change led by Diego Bernal. Get the ...

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Prepare Your Kids’ Ears for Back to School


noisy planet back to school combined image

Parents and teachers, back-to-school bells are ringing. Have you taken steps to protect the ears and hearing of your children and students? Noise-induced hearing loss—sounds of packed hallways and cafeterias, band practices and concerts, and sporting events—can permanently damage hearing. Thankfully, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders has an awesome bilingual campaign: El mundo es ruidoso. Proteja la audición de sus hijos. (It’s a Noisy Planet. Protect Their Hearing.). The campaign helps parents and teachers promote healthy hearing habits: Noisy Planet’s Teacher Toolkit. This toolkit helps teachers instruct preteens about the causes and prevention of noise-induced hearing loss. It provides easy-to-use resources and step-by-step ...

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Apply Now: $25,000 RWJF Culture of Health Prize


San Pablo, a winner of the 2017 RWJF Culture of Health Prize.

A culture of health is where everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. Is your community creating a Culture of Health? If so, apply for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Culture of Health Prize! The contest provides $25,000 to honor communities that bring neighborhood, school, and business partners together to improve health for all residents! In 2017, two majority-Latino communities were among eight prize winners. Chelsea, MA (62% Latino) and San Pablo, CA (55% Latino) were chosen from 200 applicants. Chelsea opened the city’s waterfront, served vulnerable populations, and engaged youth in food justice projects. San Pablo created job training programs, built a community center, and established a youth commission. “San Pablo has ...

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Infographics: Why Your Town Need a Farmers Market


farmers market sales

Does your town have a farmers market? If not, you might miss out on healthy fresh produce. Farmers may fail to engage in the local economy. To celebrate the Farmers Market Coalition's National Farmers Market Week on Aug. 5-11, 2018, we at Salud America! are showcasing the benefits of farmers markets as a way to increase access to fruits and vegetables among Latino and all populations! Farmers Markets Can Help Latinos Latinos frequently live in food swamps. In these swamps, Latinos have no easy access to supermarkets and farmers’ markets, while abundant access to fast food and corner stores. This results in overconsumption of unhealthy foods, according to a Salud America! research review. The number of U.S. farmers’ markets has more than doubled. But many of these markets ...

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Study: Exito! Builds a Pipeline of Latino Doctors, Cancer Researchers



Latinos are less likely than other population groups to seek doctoral degrees and study cancer. Fortunately, a new study from UT Health San Antonio showcases the success of the Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program in motivating Latinos to earn doctoral degrees and pursue careers in cancer research. The study, published in the Journal of Cancer Education, examined the methods and results of the Éxito! program. Éxito!, led by Salud America! director Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez of UT Health San Antonio and funded by the National Cancer Institute, recruits 25 Latino students and health professionals annually for a culturally tailored curriculum to promote pursuit of a doctoral degree and cancer research career. The program also offers internships and ongoing ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 8/7/18: Working Together to Build a Culture of Health


jovenes sanos youth group community advocacy effective communication for cohesive culture

Latinos and other communities of color many big barriers to good health. They face poverty and lack access to healthy food, safe places to play, social services, and quality early care and education. That results in high rates of obesity and disease and poor academic and life outcomes. But there is hope for change. Communities across the nation are working to build this culture of health, where everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. Let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018, to tweet about innovative ways for communities, schools, businesses, and groups can team up to promote a culture of health for Latinos and all people! WHAT: #SaludTues Bilingual Tweetchat─Working Together to Build a Culture of Health TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET ...

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Award Finalist: Dr. Amelie Ramirez’s Latino Cancer Research Training Program


Exito Collage

Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training has been named a finalist for Excelencia in Education's "Examples of Excelencia" that spotlight evidence-based practices that support Latino students in higher education. Éxito! and 20 other finalists were chosen from 139 applications. Winning "Examples of Excelencia" in four categories—associate, baccalaureate, graduate, and community-based organizations—will be announced at Excelencia in Education's annual Celebración de Excelencia on Oct. 11, 2018, in Washington, D.C. Excelencia in Education is a national group that promotes Latinos in higher education. Éxito!, led by Salud America! director Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez of UT Health San Antonio, recruits 25 Latino students and health professionals annually for a culturally ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 7/17─A Smokefree Future for Latinos & All People


breaking cigarette smoking smokefree

Cigarette smoking is on the decline. But it still causes 480,000 U.S. deaths a year and certain groups still face big challenges. Latino young adults, for example, have higher rates of intermittent cigarette use than their white peers. How can we promote quitting and smokefree environments? Let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, July 17, 2018, to tweet about the state of Latino smoking and what community leaders can do to advance technologies, policies, and programs to create a smokefree future for Latinos and all people! WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat─ Creating a Smokefree Future for Latinos & All People TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, July 17, 2018 WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOSTS: Smokefree.gov at the ...

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Don’t Experience the Fourth of July without This Drink


july fourth party water drink

Water is a key ingredient for every good Fourth of July party, whether you are poolside, at the beach, or at a family barbecue on this sweltering summer day. That's because drinking water can keep you hydrated as you sweat outside. Sweating during the sizzling heat of July can lower the body's water level. This can cause dehydration. It can affect normal bodily functions in the heart, brain, and lungs. So how much water do the experts order? "To avoid dehydration, active people should drink at least 16- 20 ounces of fluid one to two hours before an outdoor activity. After that, you should consume 6 to 12 ounces of fluid every 10 to 15 minutes that you are outside," according to the Cleveland Clinic website. "When you are finished with the activity, you should drink more. How ...

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