FACES for the Future Coalition
Changing the face of health.
Your payment has been received, and your registration for the FACES Summer Medical Academy is now complete. We’ll be in touch soon with next steps and program details.
If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to contact us at in**@***************re.org. We’re excited to have you join us this summer!
– FACES for the Future Team
FACES San Diego, home to three distinct school sites, has been very busy and has a lot in the works for the remainder of the school year. We welcomed a new coordinator for our Hoover High School site in January. Nikki Lopez has been learning the program and getting oriented to both her new school site and the hospital. There’s a lot going on with the program as well, starting with all three sites engaging in the work of the Public Health Youth Corps (PHYC) by becoming advocates for good public health and COVID-19 prevention. Through PHYC, students facilitated conversations and presentations aimed at educating their friends, family and fellow community members. Further, each site will participate in a special skills clinic at the Association for Surgical Education Conference held in San Diego this year. Students are very excited to practice relevant skills and interact with surgeons who are in the top of their field. There are many more field trips planned, including to colleges in San Diego and Los Angeles. See below for additional school highlights.
FACES seniors at Crawford are currently involved in clinical rotations at Rady Children’s Hospital, where students are shadowing healthcare professionals in the Physical Therapy, NICU, and Integrative Medicine departments, as well as many more! And just recently, FACES students had the opportunity to chat with Dr. Stephanie Constantino with Family Health Center of San Diego during her Lunch with a Doctor series at school. They will have the opportunity to visit her clinic later this spring. Students were also treated to a visit from Ruby Dircio, class of 2018 alumni, who is now a registered nurse working in the oncology department at a nearby hospital. She was excited to reconnect with the FACES program and share a bit about her health career journey.
The Hoover FACES students are participating in various educational and hands on activities at school, Rady Children’s Hospital, and in their community. Some workshops held on campus include CPR and Basic Life Saving Skills, Stop the Bleed, and Narcan training. Additionally, there have been wellness workshops, holiday events, and educational workshops on topics such as HIPPA, professionalism, and healthy relationships. We’ve also had the opportunity to take our students to visit industry partners at Janssen. We are partnered with Planned Parenthood, Center for Community Solutions, ProKids, County of San Diego HIV Services, City Heights Farmers Market and Mid-City CAN to provide the juniors internship experiences doing meaningful work for their community and peers. In these internships, our students have created health campaigns, social media outreach, and advocated for their community needs. Lastly, for the first time since Covid-19 we have been able to take our seniors to Rady Children’s Hospital for clinical rotations. They have been able to shadow many departments, including NICU, Pain Management, OT/PT, Internal Medicine, Hematology/Oncology, and Neuroscience.
FACES seniors at Kearny recently completed their high school requirements and graduated from their program in January. In addition to engaging in FACES and Public Health Youth Corp work, students completed capstone projects detailing experiences in their Academy and are preparing to support a student conference taking place at their school this spring.
We salute all of our students as they continue on their path to fulfilling careers in health.
Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day! One of our favorite things about the FACES Program is getting to know our students, who come from so many different cultures and lived experiences. Today, we are amplifying the voice of Crystal Coriz, a recent FACES graduate from the Native American Community Academy in Albuquerque, NM. Here’s Crystal’s note to all of you:
Hello everyone, my name is Crystal Coriz and I am a freshman attending the University of New Mexico (UNM). I was born and raised in Alburquerque, New Mexico where I have represented my Navajo and Santo Domingo background for 18 years. While attending school at Native American Community Academy (NACA) I had become increasingly interested in pharmacy, especially during my Junior year of high school. As a result, I am majoring in pharmaceutical sciences and plan to complete my dual degree in a Master of Science and PharmD after receiving my Bachelor of Science. However, I found that despite the many resources provided at UNM there are many struggles I continue to face. Within my Introduction to Pharmacy, I have found through the experiences I received from FACES and CNM does not compare to my classmates. I found it increasingly obvious that my classmates had greater access to resources such as tutors found within the family, participating in classes and programs about pharmacy, and some who have already taken tests involving their expertise. It was important to ask questions myself in order to keep up with the instructor’s expectations but I found that my background held me back. Understandably, receiving an education takes a bunch of time and effort and for many Indigenous families, these demands can influence where money should be placed. This is why I found it hard to provide myself with the much-needed resources I needed prior to class as my classmates have done. However, this hasn’t discouraged me from pursuing my major because despite my background I have found myself becoming more independent in asking for help and reaching out to those who could help. FACES has taught me to look forward to serving a purpose I believe is worth my time by creating resources and opportunities for myself and future healthcare workers. This is an experience I will address in the years to come and will always be excited about what is to come at UNM, especially with the help of FACES. Wish me good luck and my future endeavors within the health field.
– Crystal Coriz
Community Health Workers (CHWS) are a vital and growing part of New Mexico’s healthcare workforce. CHWS work alongside clinical care providers to offer social support and resources to patients. CHWS also serve as health educators and leaders in their communities. Throughout the state CHWS are employed by hospitals and clinics as well as agencies focused on housing, immigration, legal aid, and domestic violence.
This summer, fifteen students in the Albuquerque Public Health Youth Corps completed a ten credit Community Health Worker Certificate program at Central New Mexico Community College. To obtain this certification students needed to master clinical skills such as taking a blood glucose level, taking a manual blood pressure and basic life support CPR. Students also practiced their interpersonal skills and learned how to utilize motivational interviewing to help clients move towards healthier behaviors. In addition to the three didactic classes, students also completed 40 hours of service at practicum sites throughout the community, including at the Rio Grande Food Project and the Roadrunner Food Bank.
Once students turn 18 they will be able to apply for a state certification in Community Health Work, and begin to work in their communities. Many FACES students plan to work as CHWS during their college education to gain experience in the field and support themselves financially. Unlike other entry level positions, CHWs make five dollars more than the New Mexico minimum wage per hour.
During the Covid-19 pandemic the need for community health workers increased in New Mexico. As the state continues to manage the public health crisis, programs such as CNM’s CHW program are looking to recruit students interested in the profession. The FACES students are uniquely qualified to serve as leaders amongst their peer group and in their communities. We look forward to seeing how each of them uses their certification to better themselves and their community.
We are excited to announce that the Alameda County Behavioral Health Collaborative has awarded the Leslie Preston Memorial Scholarship to two 2022 FACES graduates: Emma Bracamontes and Adia Jallali. Emma and Adia graduated from our FACES South Alameda County Public Health Youth Corps in May and are already passionate advocates for mental health in their community. We are grateful to the Alameda County Behavioral Health Collaborative for their generosity and partnership.
Leslie Preston was a staunch community advocate working in the field of mental and behavioral health who always brought mission to the forefront of every conversation. As Director of Behavioral Health at La Clinica de La Raza in Oakland, CA, Leslie was a partner in building a FACES program in the Fruitvale neighborhood; focused solely on supporting youth into community-based careers in behavioral health. Leslie was passionate about her work, her family and equity. She was the kind of person who drove those around her to want to be better, and she did this with compassion and heart. This scholarship is the Alameda Behavioral Health Collaborative’s way of remembering and honoring Leslie’s life and legacy.
Emma Bracamontes is one of the recipients of the Leslie Preston Memorial Scholarship in 2022. Emma says that losing several of her peers to suicide, as well as her own lived experiences with mental health challenges, led to her interest in pursuing a mental health profession. She writes, “I am a firm believer in the National Council for Mental Wellbeing’s mission to “make mental health first-aid as commonplace as C.P.R.” . . . I’ve always loved lending a wholehearted and empathetic listening ear to those who need it, and becoming mental health first-aid certified has given me an effective and rewarding way to do so.”
Adia Jallali is another recipient of the Leslie Preston Memorial Scholarship in 2022. Adia hopes to become a Nurse Practitioner with a special focus on mental and behavioral health. She writes, “Being Afghan, mental health is not talked about enough and it is usually undermined in importance. Afghans facing mental health challenges are often scared to speak out in fear of not being understood or feeling judged. Others do not have sufficient information about it and are not properly educated leaving us confused and worried about our mental health. I want to pursue this career so I can provide adequate care and aid to anyone regardless of their race, gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status, and to reinforce the fact that mental health is important and it’s normal to struggle with it.”
This summer, we brought students back in person with the annual FACES Summer Medical Academy. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we adapted our traditionally in-person program to a virtual experience. While this pandemic is not over, we know students are itching for hands-on learning and connecting with peers. And so, with their safety as our top priority, we created a 2-week hybrid experience, consisting of both in-person and virtual learning.
Here’s what FSMA students had to say about their time with us!
“FSMA did an amazing job of creating a fun, productive, and engaging learning environment! I was able to meet new people and create new connections, both with my peers and in connecting to resources and the professionals we met. It was beyond enjoyable!”
“FSMA was incredibly hands-on and engaging. The workshops and trainings were well-selected and very informative. It truly included a variety of health care fields, allowing me to explore different interests in areas I had not thought about much before. The staff and guest speakers were very friendly, kind, and helpful.”
Dear Community-
I have always been proud of the fact that FACES is a “responsive” organization. Our inception evolved in response to youth telling us they needed opportunities for career development and mentorship in healthcare. We respond to community requests for support by partnering with them to develop FACES programs that meet the unique challenges of their youth. And we respond to the national imperative for building a healthcare workforce through the training and empowerment of young people who reflect the diversity of our communities.
The events of the past 18 months have not only magnified the importance of our work but have also tested and fortified our ability to respond to the constantly shifting needs of youth and communities caused by the pandemic.
The pandemic has highlighted the critical importance of building a robust, diverse health workforce that is able to effectively meet the complex medical, behavioral and public health needs of communities dealing with the ravages of a relentless pandemic along with historical health disparities. Our efforts to prepare students for entry into the health professions is now more important than ever.
Moreover, while youth have continued to demonstrate extraordinary resiliency, adaptability and fortitude in the face of tremendous challenges created by the pandemic, they have also been uniquely impacted by the changes that have occurred. The closures of schools, persistent social isolation from their peers, and the pervasive threat of the pandemic have all negatively impacted the emotional, mental and physical wellbeing of young people.
I am proud to share that FACES, true to form, responded to these events by ensuring that our mission and commitments to youth have continued in spite of the tremendous barriers created by the pandemic. We continue to support youth training through innovation and enrichment of our programs. We continue to foster youth wellness through increased emphasis on student support and interventions. And we continue to build the pipeline into health careers through ongoing support of our alumni.
I look forward to sharing some recent highlights of our work and the remarkable young people we are blessed to work with. FACES is comprised of a community of very dedicated, remarkable individuals who care deeply about the mission of our work. I am excited by the possibilities for growth that lie ahead and I hope that you will continue to support our efforts.
Sincerely,
Tomás A. Magaña, MD, MA, FAAP
Founding Director
Please consider a financial contribution to our program.
Shout out to FSMA class of 2021 for successfully completing the second-ever virtual FSMA. Despite the difficulties of Zoom fatigue, FSMA over Zoom had some unexpected advantages- such as participating from the comfort of home and meeting people from across the country. Here are some of the highlights from this year’s academy.
“Through my participation in this program, I learned about how to receive and approach a patient’s case from many directions. I learned to ask good questions, look for the bigger picture, and keep patient information organized. I also learned a lot about the challenges that people face with housing, insurance, and treatment, especially immigrants who are undocumented. FSMA was a very valuable experience”. -FSMA Student, Blocks 2 and 3
“I loved this program. I came in very nervous that I did not know enough to be here, yet soon understood that this is a kind learning environment. I loved the mentors and, even though it was over zoom, I felt that I really was able to connect with the administrators as well as my fellow students. All of the workshops were so interesting and I felt no inhibitions about speaking up to discuss my perspective or answer questions. I have already written down multiple emails of people that I plan to email with questions at different stages of my application process and am so grateful that FACES gave me the opportunity to connect with such people.”-FSMA Student, Block 2
“The presenters/guests were all very knowledgeable and have had experience in the field they were talking about. They were very kind, open, and generous with their knowledge, and hearing their own personal experiences in the medical field helped me personally on forwarding my education in medicine. It gave me insight into different professions and a wider outreach/network of people I can go to for assistance. Overall the program gave me connections/resources/information all very helpful in furthering my interests in becoming a doctor. I felt immersed in medicine and all the peers had similar interests diving into the medical field, this just proved to me that the medical field is where I would like to be.” -FSMA Student, Block 2
It has happened again. Another news story. Another group targeted with hate. Another list of people who have lost their lives because of racism. And another flurry of statements and Twitter feeds and postings.
Our work at FACES has spanned 20 years and four different states. It has supported youth who live in rural communities and urban areas. Our student populations are incredibly diverse and currently FACES students speak 28 languages other than English.
FACES serves communities that have, too often, been silenced. We serve young people who have felt the realities of institutional racism, bigotries of all kinds, and discrimination. We serve young people who have been victims of violence because of the color of their skin, their ethnicity, their gender identity.
The FACES mission is simple. Support young people so they can achieve their dreams, and help them create change by joining the health professions. We believe their presence in health care will change the face of health for others. So when we see racist attacks, it can be difficult to not see the faces of the young people we serve and the families who love them, and the communities who support them. We see the faces of our staff, our employer partners, our educators. We hurt because we know FACES students have been targeted too.
We know that racism is real. We know that Anti-Asian sentiment and violence against Asian Americans is real. Supporting youth is one of our contributions to addressing that problem. Because we know how resilient our students are and we know the passion they have for serving their communities. When we work with them, we feel hope.
But ours is only one response to a racist society that is in the midst of a reckoning. There are many things that need to be done. On all layers of our consciousness and society – from our leaders to each one of us as individuals. We need change. We need protection for our neighbors. ALL of our neighbors.
At FACES, we don’t have all of the answers, but we do know we need to do better than another news story. We stand with our AAPI students, their families, their communities and we will continue our commitment to support them and work to keep them safe.
This week was an exciting one for the FACES for the Future Coalition! Not once, but TWICE, the FACES program was highlighted at the 2020 American Public Health Association virtual conference (https://www.apha.org/ ).
First, FACES was presented as a promising practice program model for our work in the National Diversity Workforce Pipeline Program in partnership with the Office of Minority Health (OMH) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Over the past five years with OMH funding, FACES continued program growth in California; began expanding nationally in New Mexico and Michigan; developed standardized protocols, evaluation metrics, curriculum and staff professional development tools that support programs; and innovated with projects like “Innovations in Simulation” – a partnership with Samuel Merritt University. During that time, 407 students speaking 26 languages were supported with safety net wellness services, given access to internships and mentored by health professionals. 99.5% of the students graduated from high school on time and 97.4% were engaged in post-secondary health career paths including employment, professional certification and 2- and 4-year college. We are SO proud of all of their hard work! (https://apha.confex.com/apha/2020/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/474400 )
Second, FACES worked with Dr. Lynn Silver and Dr. Alisa Padon at Public Health Institute to learn more about changes in youth perception and usage of cannabis after legalization. Leveraging the FACES network of programs, staff conducted surveys, held focus groups and worked with students to identify key factors in youth marijuana usage. The FACES team also worked with youth on identifying opportunities for advocacy focused on delaying first age of usage and thinking through the reasons that young people may be using marijuana. Funded by the Conrad Hilton Foundation, the findings of this project will help inform policy and advocacy efforts on the issue moving forward as we continue to work to protect the health and well-being of young people. (https://apha.confex.com/apha/2020/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/481261 )
We want to thank all of the partners who make this work possible. We celebrate this week with you all and we celebrate the amazing, resilient young people we work with every day. They teach us and show us a more equitable and promising future than we could imagine on our own.