Articles by Julia Weis

2021 County Health Rankings Show Gaps & Health Disparities for Latinos

April 6, 2021

Have you ever wondered how your county compares to others in healthcare, education, and opportunities? County Health Rankings & Roadmaps is a program by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that measures health disparities in different counties based on local data to help improve health and quality of life. The 2021 update of the County Health Rankings reflect the inequities worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic and shines a brighter lens on racial equity and justice. “And while the Rankings do not measure COVID-19 risk, they do help to show the root causes that contribute to poor health. Creating conditions for everyone to thrive requires looking to multi-layered social, economic, and structural factors that run much longer ...

Bobby Marines: Using Art to Spark Difficult Conversations Within the Latino Community

April 1, 2021

Art can convey a story or a message. So what if you could use art to spark a conversation about issues in your community? That’s the question that Bobby Marines asked himself when realizing he could use his talent to lead important conversations in the Latino community. To find the answer, Marines launched Voces y Visiones, a web series that features Marines’ art to lead a conversation about hot topic issues within the Latino community, with the help of the Southeast Minnesota Arts Council (SEMAC) and Alliance of Chicanos, Hispanics and Latin Americans (ACHLA). “The overall goal is to use arts as catalysts for social and community discourse,” Marines said. From Eighth Grade Dropout to Successful Visual Artist It took hitting rock bottom for Marines to find his ...

Resolving Microaggressions: A New Diversity Training from UT Health San Antonio

March 31, 2021

The Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio is launching a new diversity training called Resolving Microaggressions. This training aims to empower faculty members to recognize and speak out against acts of racism and discrimination. “The goal of this training is to turn spectators into active peacemakers in tense situations, where someone is being attacked, even subtly on the basis of their gender, race, age, training or socioeconomic status,” wrote Robert Hromas, dean of the Long School of Medicine, in an email to faculty members. The training is focused on microaggressions. These are typically more subtler forms of racism, within implicit bias, that can be overlooked. “Microaggressions are the extent to which individuals who are ...

Survey: Latino Parents Are Hopeful for Their Children’s Opportunities

March 30, 2021

Latino parents are hopeful that their children will have more opportunities to succeed in life than they did, but recognize that inequities may limit them, according to a new study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). To create the Raising the Next Generation study, RWJF, together with the research firm PerryUndem, interviewed over 2,000 parents and caregivers (400 of which were Latino) on their perceptions of inequity and discrimination in the U.S. They also asked about optimism about the future and challenges their children might experience. The survey revealed many interesting findings about how Latino parents perceive inequities and how income and immigration affect their perceptions. Findings from the Raising the Next Generation Study When it comes to future ...

Report: Texas Latino Children Face Struggles with Food Insecurity, Health Insurance, Economic Opportunity

March 24, 2021

Not all children in Texas have equal access to healthy food and quality healthcare, and stable economic security. Latino children and other children of color face disparities in these areas due to historic systemic racism. The details of these disparities are covered in a new report, “Texas KIDS COUNT: Health Equity for Every Texas Child,” led by nonprofit group Every Texan with support and funding from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas. The report explores three key areas ─ food insecurity, health insurance, and economic opportunity ─ and what public policy can address inequities so all Texas children can live healthier lives. The ‘Texas KIDS Count’ Report on Food Insecurity Food insecurity is prevalent in the United ...

#SaludTues Tweetchat 3/30: Let’s Protect Mental Health and Stop Cyberbullying

March 23, 2021

Nearly one in five American adults lives with a mental illness. Even more are undiagnosed or unable to get treatment. Social media can have a negative impact on mental health, especially when cyberbullying or online discrimination is involved. Studies show exposure to racial and ethnic discrimination on social media is correlated with higher levels of anxiety and depression for people of color, particularly among young Latino men. Join #SaludTues on March 30, 2021, at 1:00 PM EST to tweet about how we can protect mental health and stop online discrimination. WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “Let’s Protect Mental Health and Stop Social Media Discrimination” DATE: Tuesday, March 30, 2020 TIME: 1:00-2:00 p.m. EST (10:00-11:00 p.m. PST) WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag ...

Eloísa Trinidad: Starting a Vegan Community Fridge in New York

March 23, 2021

When Eloísa Trinidad teamed up with New York activist Power Malu to help her community, she knew it needed to align with her values: ending the exploitation of animals. Trinidad is the executive director of Chilis on Wheels New York, a nonprofit with regional affiliates that focus on making veganism accessible to communities in need through sharing meals, providing food relief, and toiletries and clothing that don’t use animal products. She’s also the executive director of the Vegan Activist Alliance, a New York organization that fights to end animal exploitation. Together with Malu, Trinidad started Overthrow Community Fridge in New York City to provide nutritious, plant-based foods to people in need. By supporting her neighbors with healthy foods, Trinidad is also able to ...

Why Do Latinos Have Untreated Mental Health Issues?

March 17, 2021

Latinos and other people of color often have untreated and unaddressed mental illnesses. This is due to a variety of reasons, such as a stigma against mental illness, distrust in mental health services, or lack of access to treatment. As we discover more barriers to mental health treatment, we can become aware of how to bring equity and greater access to culturally competent mental health treatment. How Latinos Compare to Other Groups with Mental Health Treatment Latinos and other people of color are less likely to seek treatment for mental illnesses compared to white people. “Among U.S. adults with mental disorders, racial/ethnic minorities are only half as likely as Whites to get treatment; they are also more likely to drop out before completing their treatment,” ...

New Survey: Latino Families Worried about Education, Economic Security, Racial Justice Post-COVID-19

March 16, 2021

Abriendo Puertas Survey about covid-19 coronavirus recovery

Latino parents are concerned about education for their children, their economic security, and racial justice when emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new data from a report conducted by Latino Decisions and Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors. Parents also want government leaders to address these issues, the survey says. “The future of our country is inextricably linked to the wellbeing of Latino families. If we don’t act now, America will face a deeper economic depression, workforce instability, and soaring school drop-out rates,” according to the policy report. The report highlights the areas of concern and recommends policies that can address these issues. About the Survey to Gauge Latino Parents’ Concerns amid COVID-19 Before COVID-19, many Latino families ...

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Julia Weis

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