Articles by Julia Weis

Report: Many Latino Children Live in Poverty, Even in the ‘Healthiest’ Counties

July 27, 2021

2021 County Health Rankings Show High Poverty Rates for Latino & Black Children

Poverty disproportionately impacts Latinos and other people of color. Child poverty rates are more than twice as high for U.S. Latino children (23.7%) than White children (8.9%), according to a Salud America! research review. Hardships stemming from poverty, like difficulty meeting basic needs for food, medicine, housing, and transportation, also lead to worse health and life outcomes. We know that poverty hurts poor neighborhoods and counties that are predominately non-white and low-income. However, did you know that even in the healthiest counties, children of color still experience poverty at often twice the rate of white children? “Nearly 1 in 10 children are living in poverty in the nation’s healthiest counties and children of color, particularly Black, Hispanic ...

Chris David: Get the Vaccine So Business Can Go Back to Normal!

July 22, 2021

Chris David is ready for the pandemic to be over. It’s dramatically hurt his business and taken friends and family away from him. Even though he had heard heard folks say the shots will make your skin shed, damage your DNA, and are part of a secret conspiracy to get people to accept government control, he decided to get his vaccine so that he can keep his family, friends, and customers safe, and so that we can put an end to COVID once and for all. “To me, it's no big deal to get vaccinated. Help the rest of the planet out. Let's do it together,” Chris said. Find COVID-19 vaccine locations near you with Salud.to/findvaccine! How COVID-19 Hurt His Business Chris is a Navy combat veteran who is originally from Michigan. He’s lived outside of Austin in a rural area of ...

Nelly Jiménez: Get the COVID-19 Vaccine to Protect Your Family, Community!

July 21, 2021

Nelly Jiménez knows how difficult it is to suffer from severe COVID-19 illness. Her husband was hospitalized with COVID after getting pneumonia in both lungs. She wanted to protect herself and her family, so she did her research about the vaccine and decided to get it early on. Jiménez also wanted to set the example because Latinos in her local community look up to her. She’s relieved she got her shot. “I feel safe. I feel much better and I’m more comfortable,” Jiménez said. Find COVID-19 vaccine locations near you with Salud.to/findvaccine! A Venezuelan Immigrant Active in Pennsylvania’s Latino Community Jiménez emigrated from Venezuela 23 years ago to Chester County, Pennsylvania. She is the Executive Director and CEO of ACLAMO, a nonprofit that ...

How Art Therapy Can Help Children Heal from Trauma

July 20, 2021

A new method is emerging to help children heal from trauma – art therapy. More mental health clinics, like the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas, are beginning to use art to help children with the healing process. Mental health professionals hope that art therapy can help children process adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which is growing to be a public health crisis. “Art therapy helps one process emotions and feelings that one is struggling with, so that he or she can begin healing,” said art therapist Savita Jakhar Gandash, according to The Interview Portal. Read about what art therapy is and how Latino children can heal from ACEs and trauma. What is Art Therapy? Art therapy is a mental health service that utilizes creativity to help people resolve ...

Alfred Lee: Get the Vaccine So You Can Go Fishing!

July 15, 2021

Alfred Lee has heard just about every COVID-19 vaccine myth out there. He’s seen YouTube videos about how “dangerous” the vaccine is, how it’ll track people, how it’ll make people’s skin fall off. His friends and neighbors believed these myths and kept telling Lee not to get vaccinated. But Lee was tired of COVID-19 safety precautions interfering with his life. He wanted to go fishing with his family. He decided to get vaccinated, and he’s glad he did. “Oh yeah, I feel much safer now, are you kidding?” Lee said. Find COVID-19 vaccine locations near you with Salud.to/findvaccine! A Military Brat from Blanco County Although Lee would describe himself a military brat, he’s a Texan through and through. He lives and works in Blanco County. Throughout ...

What Latino Parents Should Know about the New Child Tax Credit

July 14, 2021

This week, millions of working families in the U.S. will receive the first payment from the expanded child tax credit implemented by the Biden Administration. “The Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue Plan provides the largest Child Tax Credit ever and historic relief to the most working families ever – and most families will automatically receive monthly payments without having to take any action,” according to the White House website. Although the IRS and banks have been prepping for the credit for months, there is still some confusion on what the tax credit is and who qualifies for it. Here’s what Latino parents need to know about the new child tax credit that will be deposited on July 15, 2021. What is the child tax credit? In March 2021, President Biden signed ...

Younger Latinos More Likely to Discuss Racism & Discrimination

July 13, 2021

Younger generations of Latinos are more likely than their immigrant parents to talk about issues like racism and discrimination, particularly when it comes to discrimination against Black people. “Most of our societies are fundamentally racist against darker people,” said political science professor Eduardo Gamarra, according to Carmen Sesin and Cora Cervante of NBC Latino. Generation Z, typically defined as those born between 1997 and 2015, may be more willing to confront their immigrant parents about racism because they are more racially diverse than past generations and active in social justice movements. Let’s examine how Latino youth compare to older generations, some characteristics of Generation Z, and the implications for how Latinos can tackle discrimination and ...

Dorothy Long Parma: Finding Her Career in Gastric Cancer Research While Navigating Mental Health

July 8, 2021

Dr. Dorothy Long Parma hasn’t had the easiest career path. She’s struggled with depression throughout her time in medical school, residency, and her current work as an assistant professor at the Institute of Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at UT Health San Antonio. Although her depression made it very difficult at times, Long Parma successfully completed her degree and is now an expert health disparities researcher focusing on risk factors for gastric cancer. “I really like working at IHPR. I've worked here as a student, and then as faculty and it's been a great supportive environment. Amelie [Ramirez, the director of IHPR] has always been very understanding about me working at the level that I can work,” Long Parma said. From the Philippines to Texas for ...

Data: Latino Youth Struggled with Mental Health in 2020

July 6, 2021

Caring mother hugging, comforting depressed upset teenage daughter

2020 was a difficult year for many reasons. The combination of a deadly pandemic, a racial reckoning about police violence, and economic hardships have placed a heavy toll on many families. New research from America’s Promise Alliance and Research for Action shows how 2020 hurt high schoolers and their ability to thrive in school. They found that Latino youth were among the most impacted by the disruptions of 2020. “Young people are stressed and their mental health is suffering—with disproportionate impacts on young women and nonbinary youth, Latinx students, and youth experiencing food insecurity,” according to the report. Let’s examine how COVID-19 and the resurgence in racial justice activism have impacted high schoolers and the implications for Latino youth ...

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Julia Weis

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