The Spokane chapter of the HEC brings together students from EWU, WSU, UW and Gonzaga. We are a member of the Spokane Alliance and have teams working on the following issues
Lead Organizers
Sarah Goh, Nikki Delgado
Lead organizers seek to build relations within the team, recruit new members, plan HEC events, and train new leaders. We also work with action teams to help promote their actions, and make connections to the larger Spokane community. For any questions, contact Sarah Goh ([email protected]) and Nikki Delgado ([email protected]).
Child Health Action Team
Leads: Nikki Delgado, Neil J O'Keefe
The Child Health Action Team is committed to promoting the health and wellbeing of children in Spokane. We are predominantly focused on affordable child care, and our community partners include Vanessa Behan, Lumen High School, GLOW Children Early Learning Center, and Spokane Alliance. We are excited to build further connections with organizations and individuals who are passionate about child health. Please reach out to Nikki ([email protected]) and Neil ([email protected]) if you are interested in learning more.
Language Access
Leads: Michelle Yan, Destiny Hernandez
The Language Access Team works to lessen barriers to sufficient language access in healthcare settings for non-English language preference individuals in Washington state by engaging with local partners in Spokane and with legislation at the state level. We collaborate with interpretation organizations, health systems, medical school administrations, and community members to understand challenges for these patients. We believe that effective communication lays the foundation of patient safety and care, and this is reflected in our current projects to provide proper training with interpreter services, improve translated public health outreach, and advocate for dual-language prescription labels. We would love to have you join us!
Contact Info:
Destiny Hernandez: [email protected]
Michelle Yan: [email protected]
Environmental Health
Leads: Solveig Viren, Claire Yang
The Environmental Health Action team is focused on coupling improvements in environmental health and health equity in Spokane. Our call to action comes from the changing climate and its disproportionate impacts on low-income, people of color. We hope to approach these injustices through the many intersections of climate justice, including housing access, racial justice, education, and advocacy for environmental regulations. We are further interested in working towards solutions for extreme heat, smoke, and cold in Spokane, as the existing infrastructure may not be adequate to address the needs of all our neighbors. We are excited to build relationships with individuals and organizations passionate about climate justice, so please reach out to the team at [email protected] and [email protected]
Harm Reduction
Leads: Lizzie Schjelderup, Joanne Bae
The Harm Reduction Action Team is committed to supporting harm-reduced based community partners in Spokane and engaging future healthcare professionals about the principles of harm reduction to reduce the negative health, social, and legal impacts associated with addiction and drug use. We advocate for policies, programs, and practices that focus on reinforcing positive change and working with people without judgment, coercion, or discrimination. We strive to understand and develop compassion around the realities of social inequalities, including poverty, class, racism, social isolation, past trauma, and sex-based discriminations and how they affect both people’s vulnerability to and capacity for effectively dealing with drug-related harm. If you are interested in learning more about our team's involvement in Spokane, please reach out to Joanne Bae (joa[email protected]) and Lizzie Schjelderup ([email protected]).
Racial Equity
Leads: Abigael Njoki Mbaluka, Stephanie Alejandra Rey
Racial Equity Action Team Statement:
We, the Racial Equity Action Team, are committed to fostering a more inclusive, equitable, and anti-racist medical education environment at Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. Recognizing the deep-rooted impact of systemic racism on healthcare disparities, we strive to address these issues through intentional action, education, and advocacy. Our mission is to promote racial equity in all facets of medical education, from curriculum development to student support services. We are dedicated to:
- Curriculum Enhancement: We advocate for the integration of racial equity discussions throughout all medical school systems (i.e. pulmonology, cardiology, renal, dermatology, foundations, etc.). By acknowledging the historical context of racism in healthcare and exploring the impact of implicit bias on patient care, we aim to better equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide culturally-relevant and patient-centered care.
- Faculty and Staff Education: We encourage ongoing dialogue and collaboration with faculty and staff to facilitate workshops, training sessions, and professional development opportunities that promote anti-racist practices.
- Student Resources: We will collaborate with the Elson S Floyd College of Medicine Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity to provide resources and safe spaces for students of all backgrounds to share their experiences, concerns, and ideas. By fostering a supportive community, we aim to address the unique challenges faced by underrepresented students and advocate for their success in medical school.
- Research and Advocacy: We engage in research initiatives that investigate racial disparities in healthcare, with particular focuses on dermatology, pulmonology, cardiology, primary care, among other specialties.
- Community Engagement: We strive to extend our efforts beyond the boundaries of Elson S Floyd by engaging with local communities and offering educational resources to underserved populations. We are connected with Black Maternal Health and plan to continue cultivating that connection over the next year.
Contact Info:
Stephanie Rey: [email protected]
Abigael Mbaluka: [email protected]