Category: News

KNKX reports on Latinxs & COVID-19 in WA featuring LCH

Following the Center’s webinar last month titled, “The Burden of COVID-19 on Latinx Communities in WA State”, KNKX published an article reporting on the various reasons that might explain why Latinxs are so disproportionately affected by COVID-19 in our state.

You can read more by clicking here!

Or by copying and pasting the following link to your internet browser: https://www.knkx.org/post/farmworkers-can-t-pick-apples-through-zoom-experts-explore-why-latinos-hit-hard-covid

LCH Co-Directors featured in King 5 series “Facing Race”

On an episode that aired on November 15, King 5’s “Facing Race” series highlighted the experience of immigrants living in Washington, including negative stereotypes they face, the impact of racism on their health, and much more.

The Center’s co-directors Dr. Leo Morales and Dr. Gino Aisenberg were featured in this episode, where they discuss the disproportionate rate of COVID-19 among Latinx communities in the state of Washington.

Dr. Morales comes on at 10:40 and Dr. Aisenberg comes on at 13:13.

South Seattle Emerald reports on Latinx physician shortage in WA

South Seattle Emerald recently published an article reporting on the shortage of Latinx physicians in the state of Washington and the systemic factors underlying the issue. The Center’s Co-Director Dr. Leo Morales was featured in the piece.

“This is not a case of saying let’s admit more Latinx people to medical school,” he said. “It’s a systemic problem, because we have unequal educational opportunities in society.”

You can check out the article and read more by clicking here!

Or by copying and pasting the following link on your internet browser: https://southseattleemerald.com/2020/11/07/washington-state-faces-a-shortage-of-latinx-doctors-unless-systemic-changes-are-made/

LCH Co-Director featured in KIRO 7 News: Latinx physician shortage in WA

The Center’s Co-Director Dr. Leo Morales was recently featured in a KIRO 7 news piece, where he speaks about the shortage of Latinx physicians in the state of Washington, including some of the reasons driving this shortage. The piece, titled Western Washington Gets Real: A Critical Lack of Latina Doctors, also features Dr. Lorena Alarcon-Casas Wright, a bilingual-bicultural endocrinologist at UW Medicine.

You can check out the video and read more by clicking here!

Or by copying and pasting the following link on your internet browser: https://www.kiro7.com/home/western-washington-gets-real-critical-lack-latina-doctors/KY7S6FAC2JFADMCDQ3OOS52S4M/#continue_below

Thank you & farewell to our Research Coordinator Daron Ryan

After two-and-a-half years of diligent research project coordination & data management, modest but bold leadership, and a heartfelt commitment to health equity for Latinos and Latinas living in Washington, our Research Coordinator Daron Ryan officially says goodbye to the LCH team. While we are saddened to see her go, we are also excited to see her forge her own career path as she embarks on this journey.

Originally from Portland, Daron received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Puget Sound and her MPH in Health Services with a concentration in Social and Behavioral Sciences from the University of Washington. Daron began her career in public health as a community health worker and family case manager in Pierce County. She then joined the LCH team through her work in the ALMA (Amigas Latinas Motivando el Alma) project led by Dr. India Ornelas, eventually handling the operations of all LCH-housed research projects.

Daron’s accomplishments during her time at LCH speak for themselves: She has been nominated twice for the University of Washington’s Distinguished Staff Award, has presented at various conferences including at APHA’s Annual Meeting and Sea Mar’s Latino Health Forum, has published several papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals, and has earned a spot in the Center’s Leadership Team.

“I wish this farewell could be in person,” she writes in an email directed at the entire LCH team. “I’d like to think that LCH is a part of me, and that I am a part of LCH, long after I leave.”

There is no doubt about that.

Thank you, Daron, for all that you have done for the Center and for being an exemplar scholar, coworker, and friend. As you turn the page in your life’s story, we join together in wishing you every success in all your future endeavors and look forward to crossing paths with you again. ¡Mil gracias, Daron! ¡Hasta la próxima!

Dr. Maggie Ramirez interviewed by Alzheimer’s Association

“Early on in my undergraduate career, I made it a goal to pursue an academic career focused on making a positive impact on the health and well-being of patients and their families. While in graduate school, I learned about racial/ethnic disparities in health and healthcare delivery. Given my background and upbringing, I was particularly drawn to inequities experienced by Latinos due to ethnicity and socioeconomic status, and I began focusing my work on this population.”

Read more here: https://www.alz.org/blog/alz/october-2020/alzheimers-association-funded-researcher-focuses-o

LCH Co-Director featured in Bellingham Herald article on Latinos & COVID in Whatcom Co.

COVID-19 is disproportionately impacting Latinos in Whatcom County, says co-director Dr. Gino Aisenberg, who believes systemic racism and overwhelmed health departments statewide are key factors. By failing to compile a complete picture of the effects of the coronavirus on this population, “we are hiding the harsh realities that communities of color, including Latinx communities, are experiencing,” says Aisenberg in a Bellingham Herald interview. Read more here: https://bit.ly/2DEejbs

LCH Co-Director featured in Univisión report on Latinxs & COVID-19 in Washington

Dr. Gino Aisenberg, Associate Professor in the School of Social Work and co-director of the Latino Center for Health, was interviewed on July 28 by Univisión for a report on the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 among Latinxs in Washington state.

Recent data from the WA Department of Health shows that up to 44% of all COVID-19 cases in the state are of Latinxs. Dr. Aisenberg underscores the need for increased safety measures for Latinxs who make up a significant portion of essential workers in our state and frequently live in multigenerational households. Dr. Aisenberg also discusses the language barrier that exists and how that might also be a significant factor.

You can watch the full news report here: https://univisionseattle.com/news/local/piden-protecciones-para-frenar-la-transmisin-del-virus-en-los-hispanos