WERE YOU THERE?
2019 UC DAVIS INTERPROFESSIONAL CENTRAL VALLEY ROAD TRIP By Chief Editor, Pleshette Robertson
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n August 18-19 a diverse group of about 50 people gathered for a 36-hour health policy, historical tour sponsored by UC Davis Health. Faculty, administrators, staff students and community members loaded the bus at 7 am at UC Davis School of Medicine in Sacramento on Sunday, August 18th to traverse highway 99 through the Central Valley on the 5th UC Davis Interprofessional Central Valley Road Trip. It was a transformative experience going through 9 counties and seeing places that most of us had never visited and in some cases had never heard of. Along our journey, we visited places and learned about people, how they lived, and are currently living, as well as the many incredible challenges individuals and families (descendants of African Americans, Asian-American, Hispanic American, Indian American) have been faced with. Several sites off the highway 99 included: Stockton’s Cambodian Buddhist Temple; Central Valley Pride Center in Modesto; The Fresno Wellness Center; Colonel Allensworth State Park, 40 Acres National Monument, Cesar Chavez Foundation, Chowchilla California Women’s Facility and Fathers and Families in Stockton. So many of these monumental places hold a great deal of significant historic traditional values when it comes to agriculture and farming.
8/18 Andres Chavez grandson of the famous American civil rights leader Cesar Chavez. Discussing how he and At times I and my colleague Twlia Laster (Project Director for Saving Our Legacy for African others are carrying on Americans For Smoke Free Safe Places - The SOL Project) were at a loss for words on his ‘Tatas’ legacy locally, what we had learned about the personal experiences that individuals and families were statewide & nationally. confronted with when it comes affordable housing and healthcare along with fair employment Tomorrow we will visit 40 Acres in Delano to see practices. It was truly an uplifting experience knowing how strong and important culture is living history. Tonight we for people in order to endure and survive the many atrocities they were up against. Twlia and break bread as a public I both were honored to participate in this summer’s trip, where elements of the trip edified health family and watch cultural humility principles as they relate to social determinants of health, population health, the movie depicting his life’s work. Si se puede! community based participatory research and access to health care. n (facebook.com/twlia.laster)
8/18 First stop Stockton Cambodia Buddhist Temple. Host Raksmey Roeum-Castleman, Ph.D taught us about genocides & oppression of Cambodia people. This Temple is open to everyone in need of peace, a place to stay and food. Not religion. It’s about relationship & respectful reverence for all. (facebook.com/twlia.laster)
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Pleshette Robertson and Twlia Laster with David Hosley 8/19 Day 2 on the bus! We were all smiles from a great night sleep until discussion of the 2016 study showing 460 premature deaths due to poor air quality. Bakersfield pays the price for health disparities associated to air pollution to the tune of billions per year! (Panorama Bluffs, N.E. Bakersfield!) (facebook.com/twlia.laster)
FALL 2019