Our residency’s internal efforts around anti-racism and diversity, equity and inclusion are growing and evolving. From the beginning, our legacy began as an outgrowth of social justice. Our Family Medicine Health center, One Community health started as a migrant and community health center, La Clinica del Carino in 1985 to serve the migrant and seasonal farmworkers of our community.
Our sponsoring institution, Providence St. Joseph’s, has a long tradition
of providing care to the vulnerable but also was founded on principles
of compassion, human dignity and justice. We are fortunate that both organizations
mirror each others’ values. To learn more check out this link on
the Providence St. Joseph's Digital Commons. https://digitalcommons.psjhealth.org/diversity_and_inclusion/
From the onset of our program in 2013, we have been fortunate to work in these organizations that have recognized and continue to grow within these ideals in so many ways. In Hood River, our curriculum has always included special workshops and experiences on Health Equity, Culturally Sensitive Care and Social Determinants of Health that have been taught in Popular Education style by bilingual and bicultural community health workers and physicians.
Our residents make outreach visits and clinics in the orchards, packing houses and farmworker housing.
CHW's and Residents on Group Orchard day June 2022
Pallet House at the Hood River Warming Shelter Site where residents and faculty offer medical call twice a week during the winter months.
We have made efforts to increase representation of minorities, especially
Latinx physicians and staff. Last January we were fortunate to include
a seminar on Diversity and Inclusion with Dr. James Mason for all of our
faculty and residents.
Now that we are in the wake of a critical time in our country, important work is happening at several different levels. The residency clinic, One Community Health, has created an Equity Force that includes residents in its regular meetings with an aim to increase representation of all groups that experience systemic oppression by using education, outreach and community action to dismantle barriers created by systemic racism. The clinic also teamed up with local community partner, The Next Door, https://nextdoorinc.org/essential/ to create a campaign in support of migrant and local farmworkers called #Esencial. It reminds our communities that we thrive together. We need to support essential workers and not stigmatize them. One Community Health has dedicated much of its outreach work to reaching migrant farmworkers in the harvest season, assuring they have needed PPE, providing COVID-19 testing, and performing basic health examinations. For now check out the OCH DEI: https://onech.sharepoint.com/sites/OCH/SitePages/Diversity,-Equity,-and-Inclusion-@-OCH.aspx
Providence St. Joseph’s Health has made clear and powerful statements that support fundamental changes to our society to end structural racism, health outcome disparities and criminal justice reform. We have been supportive of our residents initiating an antiracist, abolitionist and social justice focused study group using a curriculum from the Mississippi Freedom Winter and can be found at studyandstruggle.com. At the community level, our organizations and leadership have participated in community advocacy Pride events to support our LGBTQ+ sisters and brothers, staffed the communities Homeless Warming shelter and made outreach efforts to the local Native American population during fishing season in order to reduce Covid-19 transmissions.
Last year, our resident Fernando Polanco drafted an anti-racism resolution that was accepted by the Oregon Academy of Family Physicians and it was featured on the agenda of our national meeting of the AAFP in Sept 2021. The year ended with our program participating in the Gorge Pride Parade and Events. Check out this story by following this link:https://columbiacommunityconnection.com/the-dalles/the-dalles-shows-its-pride-today-june-26
We acknowledge there is so much work to be done, and we welcome you to be part of the efforts to change the world for better for everyone!
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