The 2020 Latino Health Equity Conference slated to focus on the impacts of the climate crisis on Latino health, has been canceled out of an abundance of caution in response to the evolving COVID-19 outbreak. At this time, there are no plans to reschedule this event.
Many of our speakers and attendees are working within their own communities to address current public health concerns. We thank you for your work and diligence! While we are disappointed in the cancellation, we are continuing to explore ways to highlight the important intersection of climate change and Latino health!
We are happy to announce that the planning of our 2021 Latino Health Equity Conference has already begun. We look forward to seeing you on June 25, 2021 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon. The 2021 LHEC will address topics of HIV and Sexual Health.
To make this transition as seamless as possible, we included responses to common questions below.
What you need to know:
What about my 2020 LHEC registration?
Your 2020 LHEC registration will automatically be applied to our 2021 LHEC date. You are also able to shift your registration to another person. If you are unable to attend the 2021 LHEC, or would like to request a refund, please reach out to our staff at info@familiasenaccion.org.
What about my airfare and hotel reservations?
Many airlines and hotels are currently waiving costs to change flights or refunding/crediting airlines tickets due to COVID-19, please contact your airline directly to discuss options in light of the cancellation. In the meantime, if you have questions you may contact the airline or hotel directly.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or concerns at info@familiasenaccion.org.
Familias en Acción is a proud partner in the Cover All Kids hub coordinated by the Oregon Latino Health Coalition. This regional hub is committed to conduct outreach, enrollment, and system navigation within Multnomah and Clackamas counties for Latino individuals and families. We want to create awareness and access to health coverage!
The Oregon Health Plan (OHP) is open to all children and teens younger than 19, regardless of immigration status. OHP is free health coverage for people who live in Oregon and who meet income and other criteria. It covers the health care services children and teens need to thrive such as check-ups, vaccinations, mental health care, glasses, tooth fillings and prescriptions. It also covers labs, x-rays and hospital care. It even pays for rides to and from medical appointments. Apply today to see if your children, teens and/or family qualifies. Help is free.
If you have families that need access to health coverage, or would like to host an outreach event, please contact us at 503-939-2679 or jocelin@familiasenaccion.org.
Familias en Acción officially supports the following two state house bills, HB 4115 and HB 4161. The passing of these bills into Oregon state law would greatly benefit Latino health by improving healthcare access and reducing health disparities with support from the Oregon Health Authority.
HB 4115 is an important bill to support since it would make it a requirement for health care providers to use health care interpreters who are qualified or certified by the Oregon Health Authority. This will help build a bridge of language and culture between a health care professional and a patient whose primary language is not English. HB 4115 Progress + Status
HB 4161 is another important bill to support since it would ensure that the Oregon Health Authority works with community based organizations that are part of the Regional Health Equity Coalition or who use the Regional Health Equity Coalition model and work together to provide services to priority populations throughout the state in order to improve their health and well-being. HB 4161 Progress + Status
COVID-19, which stands for coronavirus disease 2019, was first identified in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province, China in December 2019 and has now spread into a global pandemic. Governments around the world are rushing to institute measures that will keep families safe and limit the spread of the virus.
For the Latino community that already faces inequities in healthcare and accessing food, COVID-19 increases those disadvantages. Civic leaders are urging the government to consider economic inequalities that put people at higher risk of suffering from COVID-197. Advocacy groups highlight the need for the government to respond to the decision that some families, such as those working in hospitality, childcare, and retail, must make between potentially missing a paycheck and ensuring the health of their families8. This past Wednesday evening, President Trump signed a coronavirus aid package into effect that will expand unemployment assistance and the government is currently working on a $1 trillion proposal that, if passed, could provide economic stimulus for workers9.
Of particular concern is how people are accessing food in this time of crisis. Our food safety nets have not been tested like this since the time of the Great Recession in 20084. With businesses temporarily closing, children out of school, and other changes implemented to keep people safe, what does this mean for how you get food and stay healthy?
With sudden job layoffs and reduced work hours, people may have less money to spend on food. The nation’s primary safety net to combat food insecurity is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or food stamps)4. In the face of this, the government has decided to suspend changes to the SNAP program that were set to go into effect April 1st, 20201. The changes would have altered work requirements for single adults receiving SNAP benefits but will not take effect while the nation faces coronavirus.
For some businesses, it is work as usual. As of March 19th, 2020, the US government deemed agriculture as a critical infrastructure, meaning that farms can keep operating like normal6. Some businesses may decide individually to modify operations, but in the face of this and other environmental threats such as climate change, the people that grow our food are finding innovative ways to continue providing the nation with food.
But how people access food is being limited. On March 17th, 2020 Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed an order which prohibits food establishments to offer on-site dining, along with prohibiting public gatherings of 25 people or more. Grocery stores and most farmers markets have been allowed to remain open. A vital resource, at participating farmers markets, SNAP recipients can double up to $10 per day spent on fruits and veggies with a program called Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB).
Additionally, mothers and children participating in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), may be affected by people who are buying food they don’t normally buy at the store. WIC dollars can be spent on certain foods, indicated by a WIC symbol next to the price tag. If you are buying food and it has a WIC symbol next to it and you don’t need it, consider choosing something different so that it can be available for a WIC participant2.
Taking care of infant nutrition in this time of crisis is also important. If you are or know somebody who is breastfeeding and worried about passing COVID-19 to the baby, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends washing hands before breastfeeding and wearing a mask during breastfeeding to avoid passing the virus between mother and child. But, because so little is known about the virus, it’s unclear if it can be passed from the mother to the infant in breast milk3. Because breast milk is the most nutritious source of food for babies, it’s recommended to continue breastfeeding3.
Keeping safe and healthy may seem difficult in these times, but as more advocacy groups push for the government to recognize the disproportionate burden that social inequities place on racial minorities, including Latinos and Hispanics, resources are being expanded.
To see which farmers markets in Oregon are participating in DUFB and open, go here:https://doubleuporegon.org/
ESPAÑOL
Pandemia de coronavirus (COVID-19) y acceso a alimentos para latinos
El COVID-19, que significa enfermedad por coronavirus 2019, fue identificado por primera vez en Wuhan, la capital de la provincia Hubei, China en diciembre del 2019. Ahora se ha propagado al punto de convertirse en una pandemia global. Gobiernos alrededor del mundo se apresuran para instituir medidas que mantengan seguras a las familias y que limiten el avance del virus.
Para la comunidad latina, que de por sí enfrenta desigualdades con respecto al cuidado de la salud y al acceso a la comida, la presencia del COVID-91 aumenta las desventajas ya existentes. Los líderes civiles instan a nuestro gobierno a considerar las desigualdades económicas que ponen a ciertos sectores en mayor riesgo de contraer este virus. Las agencias que se encargan de defender a estas personas recalcan lo vital que es la respuesta gubernamental a la cuestión de si algunos empleados, como los que trabajan en servicios, guarderías o tiendas, deben trabajar aún arriesgando el bienestar de sus familias porque requieren su quincena. El miércoles pasado, el Presidente Trump aprobó un paquete de ayuda relacionado con el coronavirus que expandirá las prestaciones de desempleo, y el gobierno está armando una propuesta adicional que liberaría un trillón de dólares para apoyar la economía de los trabajadores. Pero ¿qué ocurrirá con los que no pueden solicitar la ayuda, debido a su estado migratorio?
Es particularmente preocupante la cuestión de cómo las familias seguirán alimentándose durante esta contingencia. Nuestro abasto alimentario no ha enfrentado semejante crisis desde la Gran Recesión de 2008. Puesto que abundan los cierres de negocios pequeños y los niños no van a la escuela, junto con otras medidas para salvaguardar la salud comunitaria ¿por qué medio conseguirán las familias su alimento y cómo se mantendrán saludables?
Con repentinos despidos y reducciones en el número de horas laborales, la gente tiene menos dinero para gastar en comida. El mayor sistema que tiene la nación para combatir la inseguridad alimentaria es el Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, también conocido como estampillas para alimentos). Por este motivo, el gobierno ha decidido suspender las modificaciones al programa SNAP fijas para el 1 de abril del 2020. Son cambios que hubieran subido los requisitos de trabajo para los adultos solteros que recibieron las prestaciones SNAP, pero no tomarán efecto mientras la nación batalle el coronavirus.
Algunos negocios siguen trabajando igual que antes. El 19 de marzo de 2020, el gobierno de los Estados Unidos decretó que la agricultura representa una infraestructura crítica, para que las granjas pudieran seguir operando de manera normal. Algunos negocios quizá modifiquen sus operaciones de forma autónoma; al enfrentar esta crisis y la del cambio climático, la gente que cultiva nuestra comida ha encontrado modos innovadores de continuar abasteciendo a la nación.
Por otro lado, se está reduciendo el acceso a la comida. El 17 de marzo de 2020, la Gobernadora de Oregon Kate Brown firmó una orden prohibiendo que los restaurantes ofrecieran servicio de mesa, y además prohibió las reuniones públicas de más de 25 personas. Sin embargo, las tiendas de abarrotes y la mayor parte de los mercados al aïre libre han podido seguir abiertas. Además, en algunos tianguis participantes, debido a un programa llamado Dólares Dobles para Comprar Comida (DUFB), la gente que cuenta con estampillas SNAP pueden llevarse el doble de mercancía por el mismo costo (hasta un valor de $10 por día) al comprar frutas y verduras.
Las mamás e hijos que participen en Women, Infants and Children (WIC) quizá sean afectados, si las personas que no cuenten con WIC llegan a comprar los productos que llevan el símbolo. Los “Dólares WIC” sólo se pueden usar para comprar ciertos productos; si usted no tiene WIC, sería mejor escoger algún otro producto que no lleve el símbolo, para que una participante lo pueda adquirir.
Es vital cuidar la nutrición infantil durante este momento de crisis. Si usted o alguien que usted conoce está amamantando y existe la preocupación de pasar el COVID-19 al bebé, debe saber que el Centro Nacional de Prevención y Control de las Enfermedades (CDC) recomienda actualmente que las manos se laven antes de amamantar y que la mamá se ponga cubrebocas durante el amamanto, para evitar la posibilidad de un contagio entre ella y su bebé. Por otro lado, se conoce tan poco sobre el nuevo virus que aún no se sabe con certeza si se puede transmitir por medio de la leche materna.
Mantenernos sanos y saludables quizá parezca difícil en estos tiempos, pero sí se pueden ampliar los recursos disponibles para las minorías raciales, incluyendo a los latinos, siempre y cuando los grupos de defensa sigamos instando al gobierno a reconocer que las desigualdades sociales causan mucho mayor sufrimiento en estos sectores.
We are excited to announce that our founding mother and first executive director, Marie Dahlstrom, along with Olga Gerberg, a beloved former staff member at Familias, and Dr. Rosemary Celaya-Alston, a former Executive Director of Familias, have all been working with Sam Williams, current Director of Academic Technology Services at the University of Portland and former Familias’ board member, to develop and release a new podcast: Abuelas en Acción. This podcast, hosted by Marie and Rosemary, will focus on the following topics: health equity, economic justice, climate change and immigration. This podcast will also be dedicated to the steps we can take in our communities to actively address these topics and help one another be empowered and healthy.
This is an exciting development for Familias en Acción as the work we do is carried on by some amazing women and abuelas who understand the importance of Latino communities being informed and empowered so they can thrive. With this new podcast, our media presence will grow and expand into communities by providing another outlet to not only learn about issues that affect Latino Health but also have a welcoming environment that encourages dialogue about difficult topics. We hope that the stories of guests on the podcast will inspire us through understanding toward practical action—to break through limits.
If you would like to subscribe, share, or listen to the newly released first episode, please click on the link down below!
We want to share a little of Adriana Govea’s story with you. She’s from Mexico City and moved to the United States in 1994. She began participating at Familias en Acción in 2018, where most of her effort has been devoted to our Abuela, Mamaá, y Yo (AMY) program. Adriana has also taken part in Familias’ leadership training programs, including AMY training, and she has become an active advocate for improving the health of her family and community. When asked about AMY, she said, “I love it. I grew up with my Grandma, and this program reminds me of her and her traditional dishes. For me, she is still alive and present; she made me what I am today. AMY takes you back and makes you think about your roots and where you came from. It’s easy to move somewhere and adapt to the culture, forgetting who you are. So AMY makes you reflect on who you are and think, ‘Why am I here, what am I doing? I came for a dream, to keep my family moving forward…”
She believes AMY “promotes leadership and provides a model that doesn’t try to change people…It helps you recognize that you have a voice and makes you see a reflection of yourself.”
Adriana sees her community as strong and connected. “We treat everyone equally, we are united, and we strive even while living in a place with so much hate and with people reminding us that we’re not from here…yet we can still remain positive.” However, Adriana wants to see more “equity and more opportunities for everyone, especially more programs like AMY. AMY is a welcoming program where “You want to be here because of who you are, not who you represent.”
Here is one of Adriana’s favorite recipes that she would like to share with our communities:
Recipe: Vaquera salad
Ingredients:
1 cup each of four types of beans:
black, pinto, kidney, peruvian
Bell peppers:
1 green, 1 yellow, 1 red
2 tomatoes
Cilantro
2 cloves of Garlic
2 tablespoons of vegetable or olive oil
Juice of ½ large lime or 1 medium lime
Pinch of salt and pepper
½ Sweet onion
Optional: chopped spicy peppers
Optional: avocado
Instructions:
Cook each type of beans until well-cooked. Chop the peppers, onion and tomatoes in cubes. Put the vegetables in a large bowl and add all the cooked beans. Peel and chop the garlic. In a small bowl, combine it with the oil, salt, pepper and lime juice to make the dressing. Add the dressing to a large bowl and mix well. Garnish with cilantro or avocados. Enjoy!
As our Abuela, Mamá, y Yo (AMY) program has grown and expanded in the last few months, we would like to introduce a new series of featured recipes that will be shared by various people throughout the Latino + Latinx communities of Oregon who are involved in the AMY program.
María recognizes that times are hard. “Our mental state is not easy, what with racism, discrimination, and the need to be forever alert, wondering how we look to others, how our ethnicity goes over.” Her dream is for the Latino community to feel proud of who we are and also knowledgeable of how to take care of ourselves. She would like us to make exercise a part of our everyday lives and to modify traditional recipes to make them healthier. She has been delighted to form part of “Abuela, Mamá y Yo” and likes to imagine a future in which we are healthy and strong. She understands that to get there, we must take action now.
I would like to tell you a little about María Segura. She is from Mexico and arrived in the U.S. eleven years ago. For the past five years, she has been actively involved in the programs that Familias en Acción offers. After taking leadership seminars and thorough training, she now facilitates several of our health education programs: Abuela, Mamá y Yo, “Tomando Control de su Salud”, “Manejo Personal de su Diabetes”, “Camine con Gusto”, “Siembra la Cena” and ”Empoderate”. What she likes best about our “Abuela, Mamá y Yo” nutrition and Food Equity program is that it’s focus on healthy eating, something not always easy to achieve. “It teaches you about serving moderate portions, modifying traditional recipes, and something even more important: breaking bread with family, friends, and your community.” She considers an openness to learning new things as an attribute of the Latino community. However, she adds that “…we need more educational programs that help us promote our health, prevent diseases, and set a good example for our kids.” She also mentions how important traditions are and how proud she is that they are passed down from one generation to the next. She is a model for her children and her community, as well as an inspiration due to her work with us. María would like to share one of her favorite recipes with you. Enjoy!
Multicolor Squash
Ingredients:
3 yellow squash
3 green squash
1 green pepper
1 yellow or orange pepper
1 red pepper
1 finely chopped onion
4 cloves of garlic
Garlic salt
Jalapeño, serrano, or habanero chile
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Procedure:
Chop up onion and garlic. Cut vegetables in julienne strips. Stir fry onion and garlic, add squash and peppers, cook on low heat for seven minutes. Season to taste. Enjoy!
Our mission is to “strengthen the health and well-being of Latino families and communities”. The immigration statuses of Latino families and communities in Oregon can have a great impact on their health and well-being, especially given the current political and social climate. In early August, the Trump administration announced a final rule that changes the public charge policies used by the government to determine whether or not an individual seeking legal entry into the U.S. or adjustments to residency status (i.e., getting a green card) is denied. Under this new rule that is scheduled to take effect October 15th, 2019, the Trump administration will now consider the use of previously excluded programs (e.g., non-emergency Medicaid for non-pregnant adults, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and several housing programs) in determining if an individual will be a public charge (Source: Kaiser Family Foundation).
As a result, this new rule is sowing fear, uncertainty, and anxiety among many families and communities with immigrant populations, especially for Latino families and communities in Oregon. This has not only led to misconceptions over the new rule and who it applies to but has also prompted some Latinos- both documented and undocumented- to withdraw themselves and their children from public programs that allow them to access vital health and social services, thus negatively affecting the health and well-being of Latino families.
What is being done to reduce the negative impact for familias throughout Oregon?
The state of Oregon has joined a few other states in legally challenging the new rule, stating that it creates unnecessary barriers and unjustly targets immigrants and their families who use public benefit programs.
At the local level, Familias en Acción has partnered with Adelante Mujeres and other non-profits throughout Oregon to host a community forum in Spanish that is catered towards the Latino community, discuss the changes to public charge and provide the appropriate resources and general information. This is also being done to help reduce fears and confusion surrounding the issue, mitigate the negative social and health impacts on familias, and strengthen the well-being of familias.
What can you do as an individual or as an organization?
Please download and share the flyer with information for the community forum/foro comunitario in your communities! We want this to reach as many people as possible in the Latino communities throughout Oregon:
¡Hola! ¡Queremos invitarlo a recibir nuestro Abuela, Mamá y Yo Newsletter! Estaremos publicando noticias acerca de entrenamientos, políticas públicas relacionadas con la equidad en salud, eventos en los que puede participar, días de abogacía, recetas y ¡consejos relevantes para su salud! ¡No se lo pierda!
Hi! we want to invite you to sign-up for our Abuela, Mamá y Yo (AMY) Newsletter! We will be sharing news about AMY trainings, public policies relevant to food and health equity, advocacy days, events, recipes and tips on how to be healthier! Don’t miss out!
Round-up a teammate and test your cornhole prowess against fellow Latino health advocates for a chance to win FREE BEER FOR A YEAR!!!
Join Familias en Acción for an afternoon of cornhole, food, drinks, music, and prizes. All proceeds from this event will go towards health education and research for Latino families across the Portland metro area.
$50 TEAM ENTRY: Guarantees each team of two (2) a minimum of three (3) games and a chance to win prizes along the way.
WINNING TEAM RECEIVES:
-Beer for a year (12 cases!) courtesy of Ex Novo Brewing
-$100 gift card to Revolution Hall
-$100 gift card to Mississippi Studios
