Health Disparities In The Latino/Chicano Community

Throughout my life, I have perception of the world has changed with the aquiration of new knowledge. Throughout my life I have began to gain consciousness of issues that people of color, people like me, Latina, immigrant-descent, low-income face in everyday life. I always knew since a young age that I wanted to help people, my people. I knew I had to become someone to have the ability to be herd and listened too regardless of the color of my skin, someone worth remembering, someone who created change, someone who my parents could be proud of, but most importantly someone who I can be proud of. When I came to UCLA, a young naïve Latina, who left her bubble community back in Huntington Park, CA, I became aware of how other students were way

Through the Summer Urban Health Fellowship, I will be able to understand the health disparities within communities allowing me to help my community medically one day to the best of my abilities. I want to gain new knowledge of the health disparities communities like where I come from, face. Currently, I am taking a class on the health in the Latino/Chicano population. This class has broadened my horizons. It has exposed me to how things such as race, social class, income, access to resources, environment, and many other things has an outstanding impact on the quality and quantity of health care they receive. Through this program I hope to learn the fundamentals of community based research, how to advocate for health policy, a most importantly how to educate communities on health. I believe that is the most rewarding thing I can get out of this program. Having the ability, the power, to change someone’s life, by just giving him or her basic health care knowledge is so empowering. Knowing that I changed that life, that because of me hopefully their health will better instead of worsen. Through this program I hope to learn from the community, to learn their experiences, which will allow me to be even more conscious of the disparities they are forced to face, hence causing me to ponder “how can this issue be fixed?”, “what policy can be implemented”?. Being able to connect with the community and with my peers will be a valuable and unforgettable experience. Not only will I be able to learn from the community, but from my fellow peers, medical students, high school students, and other undergraduates as well. Getting to me mentored by people who have done what I want to do will be enriching, it’ll be an experience that ill cherish forever. Creating long lasting friendships with people who have similar interest.