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Julia Weis

Julia Weis joined Salud America! and its home base, the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio, in September 2020. With a degree in Communication from Trinity University, Julia has previously worked in journalism, marketing, graphic design, and technical writing. She loves biking and hiking in the Central Texas outdoors and is passionate about environmental and social justice issues.

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Articles by Julia Weis

Norma Cavazos: Get the COVID-19 Vaccine to Protect Your Health, Community!


Norma Cavazos: Get the COVID-19 Vaccine to Protect Your Health, Community!

Like many of us, Norma Cavazos has had her life turned upside down by COVID-19. Many of her family members have gotten sick. Some even died. She’s had to stay at home for over a year now, doing curbside grocery shopping, spending time away from her family. Cavazos can’t wait for the pandemic to end. But when the COVID-19 vaccine first came out, Cavazos didn’t want to get it. She read a few fake news articles that claimed the vaccine would make people with underlying health conditions very sick. Ultimately, after doing more research and talking to her doctors, Cavazos decided to get the vaccine. She’s relieved she did. “It is a load of bricks off my shoulders. I'm more happy. I’m able to hug people,” Cavazos said. Find COVID-19 vaccine locations near you ...

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Data: Police More Likely to Search Latinos, Raising Questions Over Implicit Bias


Data: Police More Likely to Search Latinos, Raising Questions Over Implicit Bias

Police are more likely to stop and search Latinos than white people, even though white people are more likely to possess illegal material, according to data from Texas and California, two states with large Latino populations. “That discrepancy could mean that a lot more innocent Latino people are being subjected to searches than white people are, an invasive and often demeaning process, which can damage trust in police,” according to Houston Public Media. The data comes out a year after the police killing of George Floyd, which reinvigorated Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality and a wave of police reform efforts, like implicit bias trainings. Now reform activists and city officials hope the data can spark more change. “I look forward to our Police ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 7/6: Inequities in School Health and Education


Inequities in school health and education

Everyone deserves access to a healthy, safe school environment with the opportunity to succeed. Unfortunately, many Latino and other children of color are disadvantaged through neighborhoods and schools that lack resources and funding. Latino kids are more likely to have unhealthy school food environments and are treated worse in schools. Children of color are often treated differently by school personnel; they are more likely to be harshly punished for minor infractions, and teachers may underestimate their abilities. Let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, July 6, 2021, to discuss inequities in school health and education that prevent Latino kids and other children of color from being healthy and successful in life. WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: Inequities in School Health ...

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What Latino Parents Should Know as Schools Plan for In-Person Learning in Fall


What Latino Parents Should Know as Schools Plan for In-Person Learning in Fall

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, states have struggled with what to do when it comes to schools and online learning. In the beginning of the pandemic when not as much was known about the virus, schools were shut down and students were sent home to do virtual learning. But this brought up issues of internet accessibility for rural, low-income families, along with difficulties for parents who suddenly needed to work and provide childcare during the day. As COVID-19 vaccinations have grown and cases are slowly decreasing, many administrators are figuring out what school will look like this fall. “We have to be able to pivot,” said Kaweeda Adams, a superintendent in Albany, NY, according to the Washington Post. Let’s take a look at how safe schools are, what Latino ...

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Nevada Vaccine Equity Collaborative Fights Hesitancy & Inequities For COVID-19 Vaccinations


Nevada Vaccine Equity Collaborative Fights Hesitancy & Inequities For COVID-19 Vaccinations

Everyone deserves an equal chance to get a COVID-19 vaccine. But some communities, like Latinos, don’t have as much access or information about the vaccine or are hesitant to get vaccinated. The Nevada Vaccine Equity Collaborative (NVEC) is working to change that. Co-led by Immunize Nevada and the Nevada Minority Health and Equity Coalition, the NVEC is working to promote equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in Nevada, particularly among vulnerable communities. “I think as we were kind of creating a response, we knew that we weren't just responding to the actual physical effects of COVID. But just misinformation as well, looking at what, you know, why people weren't getting vaccinated and kind of looking at some of those off the wall reasons and thinking, how are ...

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Child Opportunity Index Highlights Inequities for Latino Kids



A new interactive mapping tool from diversitydatakids.org allows you to see what opportunities are available to children based on different neighborhoods. “The Child Opportunity Index measures and maps the conditions children need: safe housing, good schools, access to healthy food, green spaces and clean air, among others,” according to diversitydatakids.org. The mapping tool highlights the social and health inequities for Latino children and other children of color. “These conditions are not equitably available to all children in the U.S. Black, Hispanic and Indigenous children disproportionately live in neighborhoods that do not provide all the conditions children need to be healthy and grow into their full potential,” according to diversitydatakids.org. By ...

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La historia asombrosa de Helen Córdova, la primera persona en California en recibir la vacuna COVID-19



Helen Córdova sabe lo peligroso que es el COVID-19. Ella ha estado trabajando en la primera línea como enfermera de la UCI durante toda la pandemia. “COVID causó definitivamente un gran impacto en la comunidad de atención médica. Había tanta incertidumbre y cosas que no sabíamos sobre el virus”, dijo Córdova. Cuando la vacuna fue autorizada por primera vez por la FDA para uso de emergencia en diciembre de 2020, Córdova fue elegida para ser una de las primeras personas en recibir la vacuna. Pero estaba muy nerviosa y al comienzo no quería vacunarse. “Inicialmente, estaba segura de que no iba a recibir la vacuna. Pensé: 'Fue apresurado, no le tengo confianza'”, dijo Córdova. Pero después de consultar con sus colegas y leer la investigación de los ...

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The Amazing Story of Helen Cordova, the First Person in California to Get a COVID-19 Vaccine



Helen Cordova knows how dangerous COVID-19 is. She’s been working on the frontline as an ICU nurse throughout the entire pandemic. “COVID was definitely a big shock for the healthcare community. There was just so much uncertainty and things we didn't know about it,” Cordova said. When the vaccine was first authorized for emergency use by the FDA in December 2020, Cordova was chosen to be one of the first recipients of the vaccine. But she was very nervous and didn’t originally want to get it. “Initially, I was absolutely not going to get the vaccine. I thought, ‘It was rushed, I won't trust it,’” Cordova said. But after consulting with her colleagues and reading the research from the clinical trials, Cordova knew it was safe and the right ...

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What Latino Parents Should Know: COVID-19 Vaccine Available to 12 to 15-Year-Olds



Good news! Children ages 12 to 15 can now get a COVID-19 vaccine! On May 10, 2021, the FDA authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use for children ages 12 to 15. It had previously been approved for those ages 16 and older. This next step in reaching herd immunity is crucial. Not only does it expand the pool of eligible vaccine recipients to 87% of the U.S. population, but it also allows teens who have missed out on school, sports, prom, and other aspects of life to return to normal. Do you have questions about the Pfizer vaccine and want to know more before your children get vaccinated? Here’s what Latino parents should know. UPDATE: Information about how teenagers can get the vaccine without needing parental consent in some states. About the ...

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