About the Author

Author Picture

Alyssa Gonzales

Articles by Alyssa Gonzales

FDA’s Big Plan to Enhance Public Health in 2025



The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced its request for $7.2 billion as part of President Joe Biden’s fiscal year (FY) 2025 proposed budget. FDA’s request, which is about 7% higher than last year, covers the agency’s top health priorities. “This funding will allow the agency to enhance food safety and nutrition, advance medical product safety, help support supply chain resiliency, strengthen the agency’s public-health and mission-support capacity, and modernize the FDA’s infrastructure and facilities,” according to an FDA News Release. Let’s dive into what these requests entail and how it can impact Latinos. Enhancing Food Safety and Nutrition FDA is requesting $15 million to protect and promote a safe, nutritious U.S. food supply through the ...

Read More

5 Keys to Undoing the Drivers of Health Inequity



ChangeLab Solutions recently updated their interactive web tool, Undoing the Drivers of Health Inequity, with new resources to support policy strategies to advance health and justice. The tool points to five fundamental drivers of health inequity. “The fundamental drivers of health inequity are systemic factors that shape people’s physical and social surroundings in ways that create barriers to health,” according to ChangeLabs Solutions. “[We] use legal and policy strategies to undo the drivers of inequity by changing the distribution of resources and power.” Let’s explore this tool and how it can help Latino communities! 1. Structural Discrimination Some people, especially Latinos and other people of color, face health barriers because of structural and systemic ...

Read More

CDC Project Firstline Infection Control Micro-Learns: Diarrhea



CDC’s Project Firstline has developed Infection Control Micro-Learns – a series of guided infection control discussions that can be easily incorporated into team meetings or huddles facilitated by an experienced team member with infection control expertise. Each micro-learn focuses on a single infection control topic and connects these concepts to immediate, practical value. With the help of these micro-learns, healthcare workers can easily apply key points to their daily work and perform the recommended actions to keep germs from spreading. Let’s explore Infection Control Micro-Learn on diarrhea! What to Do When You See a Patient with Diarrhea Diarrhea is loose, liquid stool. Some people have chronic diarrhea, it is their normal bowel function. When diarrhea ...

Read More

Explore Trends with the Child Nutrition Dashboards



Check out USDA’s new data tool called the Child Nutrition Dashboard!   The dashboard, which is comprised of public data published in the child nutrition tables, can help federal, state, and local organizations assess trends in child nutrition program activity.  “The goal of the dashboard is to provide national and state level visualization of meals served, participation, and funding data for the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and Summer Food Service Program,” according to the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS).   Let’s dive into how this tool can be used and why it benefits Latinos!  Nutrition Dashboard Insights   The Child Nutrition Dashboard provides information on participation, meals served, ...

Read More

Martha Castilla: Promoting Health & the COVID-19 Vaccine for Latinos



Martha Castilla loves helping people.   Her compassion started as a young girl, as her family came to San Antonio from Mexico.   “I started helping my brothers and sisters when we got to this country because they didn't speak English,” Castilla said.   Today, Castilla works as a promotora de salud, or a community health worker, educating the Latino community about health and wellness.  That includes getting the COVID-19 vaccine herself – and sharing how others can, too.  COVID-19 vaccines are available and free for adults and children, and they’re the best way to protect yourself and your familia against the worst outcomes of the virus.  Because, when the pandemic hit, Latinos like Castilla were on the front lines.   “I remember when we went to ...

Read More

Apply for the Hispanic Leadership Development Fellowship!



Apply now for the National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA) Hispanic Leadership Development Fellowship!   The fellowship program is a paid, 9-month, in-person leadership opportunity to prepare for career opportunities in public health agencies and increase awareness and competency in health equity knowledge and practice, including infection control.  Each fellow is paired with a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agency in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area from Sept. 1, 2024, to May 30, 2025.  “We are dedicated to increasing the representation of Hispanics in key executive leadership positions,” said Dr. Elena Rios, NHMA President and CEO.  Applications are due April 1, 2024.  APPly Here!  Components of NHMA’s Hispanic Leadership ...

Read More

Latino Parents Worried about Teen Social Media Use, Urge Policy Safeguards



Social media has become a part of everyday life and routine, especially for young Latinos.      While social media can offer supportive communities and educational resources, it can also bring harmful impacts and habits.  Nearly half of Latino parents are “extremely concerned” over the potential harmful impact that heavy social media use can have on their pre-teen children’s mental health, according to new data from the Brookings Institution.  “The Latino community is particularly vulnerable to mental health challenges as a result of social media use,” according to Brookings report.   Let’s dig deeper into what the data says and how it affects Latinos.   Young Latinos and Social Media  The Brookings Institution survey, led by the Omidyar Network, ...

Read More

After COVID: Many Latinos Still Stuck in Inflexible Jobs



When COVID-19 hit, it hurt many Latinos who worked in industries and jobs with few benefits and no flexibilities to respond to childcare disruptions.   Unfortunately, after the pandemic, that situation remains.  The industry and occupational distribution of Latino parents with low incomes remains largely unchanged from pre- to post-pandemic for mothers and fathers, according to a recent study from the National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families.  “We provide the first national portrait of the industries and occupations that employ Latino parents with low incomes in the aftermath of the pandemic, and highlight employment shifts that occurred during the pandemic,” according to the study.   Let’s dive into the study finding and how it impacts Latino ...

Read More