eMagazine August 2023
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OUR PEOPLE,<br />
OUR MISSION<br />
Global Health<br />
<strong>eMagazine</strong><br />
<strong>August</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
Highlights<br />
Spotlight<br />
Clinical Case of the Month<br />
Reflections<br />
Global Mental Health<br />
Hispanic/Latinx Communities<br />
Voices of Ugandan Students<br />
Our Beautiful Planet<br />
Innovation and Technology<br />
Nursing Division<br />
Art to Remind Us of Who We<br />
Can Be<br />
Article of the Month<br />
Video of the Month<br />
Dr. Menn Memorial<br />
Among the Letters<br />
Congratulations<br />
The academy’s goals were straightforward yet ambitious, determined before my<br />
involvement (thank you, Dr. Jett Choquette). The NGHA and DCC envisioned<br />
a unique summer program that would follow high school students for all four<br />
years. The program aimed to impart essential life skills, such as financial literacy,<br />
leadership, knowledge of general health, and community service, which are<br />
often lacking in traditional school education. These critical skills for personal<br />
growth and development might be missed in homes where parents have to<br />
work around the clock or might not have learned them themselves due to a<br />
lack of opportunity and resources. Classes would be taught by Latinx leaders<br />
from various fields in the Danbury community, providing direct examples of<br />
accomplishment and dedicated mentorship. The project was dubbed the Youth<br />
Academy for Latinx Leaders (Y.A.L.L.) or Academia Juvenil De Lideres Latinos.<br />
Recruiting students for Y.A.L.L proved to be a formidable challenge, demanding<br />
perseverance and cultural sensitivity. Situated within the diverse community of<br />
Danbury, the academy sought to empower Latinx high school students through<br />
a transformative academic program. However, we were met with skepticism<br />
from parents and families towards a system that had hindered their attempts at<br />
progress more often than not. Despite my appearance and shared background,<br />
the community was hesitant because, as a medical student, I was now part of<br />
the system that had so effectively made them feel like second-class citizens.<br />
So, when a new face showed up offering to enroll their sons and daughters in a<br />
program they had never heard of, I was met with wary looks and short responses.<br />
Instead of being offended, I realized that this is a community that isn’t always<br />
acknowledged or appreciated beyond the services they are allowed to provide<br />
to the city and its other citizens.<br />
Overcoming these hesitations and encouraging student involvement became<br />
our mission, driven by the program’s potential benefits and life-altering<br />
opportunities. Building trust required consistent attendance at community<br />
events, transparent communication, addressing concerns, and showcasing the<br />
program’s potential positive impact. Involving schools in the recruiting process<br />
presented other obstacles, as reservations and reluctance hindered outreach<br />
efforts. Identifying reasons for resistance and demonstrating how the program<br />
aligned with educational goals were crucial in gaining school administrators’ and<br />
educators’ support. The members of the DCC were very effective in emphasizing<br />
the added value of the academy’s curriculum and further nurtured relationships<br />
with schools.<br />
Follow the part 2,Implementation phase, in September issue<br />
Welcome<br />
Calendar<br />
Global Health Family<br />
Photo News<br />
Previous Issues of<br />
the <strong>eMagazine</strong><br />
3<br />
Highlights continued on next page >>
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