Homelessness in LA

 Art 3170 Civiv Engagement Action Project Blog 

Welcome to the ART 3170 blog created as part of the civic engagement requirement of this course. In this blog, students found issues that are in our community that are important to them. While collecting research, they will also contact local members in their community to see their opinions on their issue. 

Homelessness in Los Angeles - Karicia Velasquez

                        HOMELESSNESS IN LOS ANGELES 

A environmental issue that affects the community that I live in is homelessness. The numbers in homelessness seem to be increasing overtime, which only affects our community and it is very common  in the community of LA. The topic of homelessness is overlooked a lot and also judged and misinterpreted. I believe that most of the people like to blame and assume they did something to “deserve” to live without a home. People are quick to judge instead of realizing that homelessness is a big issue and we should care about it. 

Why it’s deeper than ‘just get a job’ ?

In the year 2020, the population of homelessness was 580, 466. 61.1% of the people were living in an unsheltered place, the streets. Now that's a big number of people that are around living in the streets. Many people believe that getting a job is the solution to this, they believe that homeless people should just go and look for a job and they will get out of living in the street. But, have you guys ever thought about the requirements of obtaining a job? In this generation, we all use a cellphone for many things, and one of them is for a job. When we go to a job interview they usually always say to leave a number or an address and they will get back to you. But what about the homeless that don't have any of that? How do we expect them to find a job without any type of form for a person to contact them? I always had that in my mind, that they never choose to be there in the streets. In a podcast on Spotify called “Why Don’t the Homeless Just Get a Job” it shows how it only gets harder than not having a device. For example, in the talk they talked about how other basic job requirements are things like a SSN, Identification, past history employment and Transportation. “If that is just stolen in an instant, you have a lot of work to do before you can't even begin with the application process.” Being homeless, living in the streets is much easier for people to go and steal from you. Another thing is getting paid, they don’t have an address to be receiving their checks. Getting a job isn’t impossible but it is very difficult. 

Why should we care ?

To put it simple, we have the ability to. We have resources that they don’t. Homeless people are humans, just like us. We both get hungry, we both get cold and we both need a home. The only difference between us is that we never have to go days without eating. We never have to worry about not having a meal or a place to keep warm. We can all help homeless people with something as simple as giving them blankets, towels or pillows that we no longer need. Instead of throwing them away to the trash we can think about people living in the streets, especially in the cold times. They suffer and get sick from the cold. Although some people out there don't always react the way we expect them to, at the end of the day we know that what we are doing is coming from the heart. Helping someone out always feels good at the end of the day. It gives us a satisfaction that no amount of money can buy. 

Homelessness issues

Homelessness causes people to have health and mental problems. Most if not all of the homeless are struggling with health and mental problems. Living in the streets is hard. People get stressed, they get sad, they want it all to go away and want to give up. They have no one to talk to, we look at them like they are crazy but the truth is they take drugs to take all of that pain and suffering away. Over time, they become addicted to taking these drugs, they forget about what's normal and what isn’t. The only thing that homeless people need is a home. There’s a quote that mostly a lot of celebrities say, which is “Home is where the heart is”. In a different podcast on spotify titled “What to Do When Passing a Homeless Person”, they interviewed a homeless person named Chris and they asked him about what they would want from us. He said so many things but I think what was like a shocking moment was that he would want people to treat him like a human and tell him “have a nice day”. This goes back to my point where I mentioned how most humans mistreat them because of where they are, and how we judge them and assume all they want is free money, but nowhere in the interview did he mention he wanted money from us. Being homeless still means that they are human and want the same thing we give others, respect and love from the community. We should all give them that respect and love. We should all treat them well for who they are and not what they are. 

Why is this issue important for me?

Homelessness is an important issue for me because not only was my mother and I homeless at one point in our life but due to this it affects me on a personal level seeing other people suffer the way I used to because I can relate to it. Many people believe that homeless people deserve being homeless or that they are just lazy people, but they got it all wrong. I wish more people in our community would see that no one wishes to be homeless by choice and that they would help out in any way they can because everyone is capable of helping.  

Interviews

Questions ;

1. Does homelessness affect you or anyone you know?

2. Do you think that the community can do more in order to help the issue of homelessness?

3. Have you ever helped a homeless person/family?

Carlos Palacios

1. ‘No, it does not’

2. ‘Yes they can. They can by acknowledging the situation for what it is and actually doing something about it.

3. ‘Yes I have helped before by giving them food/money, to show generosity towards them’

Juliette Palacios

1. ‘Sometimes it makes me cry but then some homeless people are mean.’

2. ‘Yes they can, they can help them at least.’

3.No I haven’t but I wish I had money to help them.

Amnesty For All By: Jennifer Maldonado Marquez

    People immigrate to this country looking for a better life. For many it's not a choice, rather the only option they have for survival. There aren't a lot of work opportunities which leads to severe poverty in their home country. Coming to the U.S. in itself is a journey and having to navigate in a foreign country is just the beginning. To add to the stress of a new country an immigrant has a limited list of jobs they can apply for. One of the main reasons they are limited is because of their immigration status. Many jobs require either citizenship, green card, or a work visa. It can be difficult to obtain either of these coming from another country. An amnesty for people who immigrate to the U.S. would open hundreds of doors to Individuals in many ways. 

What is an Amnesty?

When immigrants illegally cross into the U.S. under federal law this is a crime. This creates a barrier when they are trying to become documented because they committed a political offense. An amnesty granted can help get this “crime” off their record. This pardon makes it easier to become documented because then it shows they didn't violate any immigration laws.

Hard Workers… 

According to the Center for Migration Studies “ Despite having relatively low levels of education, Hispanic undocumented immigrants have high labor work force participation and employment rates…(Miller & Pavilion).”  To most it doesn’t matter how much education they have because they will find a job in anything that is available. This is due to jobs in their home country being underpaid, so any job in the U.S. will still pay better. They care about sending money back to their families more than how much they like the job or even how they are treated. For example, when my father came to this country he worked as a landscaper. He says he didn’t like how the boss treated the workers because he knew of their legal status. Many jobs take advantage of their employees if they are undocumented because they will most likely not quite due to having limited job options. If given an amnesty this grants employees, the upper hand because they will not have to succumb to a job just because they are worried of being unemployed. 

https://cmsny.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Hispanic_undocumented.pdf

The graph shows the percentage of the hispanic immigrant undocumented vs documented population and their different level of education. 

Contributors… 

As part of being in the U.S. it’s required by law to pay taxes. Undocumented people don’t have a social security number (SSN) which is needed to file taxes. Due to this the IRS created what's called Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). ITIN’s are being used today so undocumented people can pay taxes yearly. They are contributing to the economy daily, but the government isn’t helping them in return. They’re many taxpayer funded help programs that immigrants are not eligible for because they don’t have a SSN. For example, in order to apply and get social security retirement benefits you need to have a social security number. Elderly immigrants who have contributed to the economy their whole lives, but only have an ITIN are being prohibited from this benefit. It’s unfair because they have a right, it’s their money as well. 

Is Money Really for All?

If an amnesty was granted sooner immigrant workers would have already received benefits. A more recent case when people with ITINs were excluded from benefits that social security holders received was during the stimulus relief check disbursements. HuffPost states that, “ Congress unconscionably still continues to exclude 9.3 million immigrant workers and from eligibility for stimulus checks (Ruiz).” That number means the government believed 9.3 million didn’t need help. A lot of people were unable to work when places were shut down because of covid. 9.3 million people were excluded from this help that could have put food on their table or a roof over their head. They also deserved a relief from the economy Covid left behind.  

Requirements…

Although I believe that an amnesty should be given to immigrants, I still think that some requirements should be met. There has to be evidence that people are coming to the U.S. looking for opportunities not here to take the easy route. If I had the power to give an amnesty some requirements I would propose would be as follows.

• Show proof of five-year employment 

• Be at least 25 years old

• Have no past felonies on record 

How Does this Issue Affect Me Directly?

This issue affects me directly because I’m first generation in this country. This means that my family and extended family around me immigrated to this country. They came here with the hope of reaching the “American Dream” for their future kids. I’ve seen firsthand how the previous amnesty of 1986 in the U.S. opened a door of opportunities for my family. I believe immigrants that continue to come to this country should be able to benefit like an American citizen because they work in this country, and one way or another make it run. 

Why this Issue? 

I choose this issue because it reminds me of how my parents came to this country with nothing and have built for themselves from the ground up. My father was part of the 1986 amnesty and due to this my mother was able to be granted legal status as well. An amnesty is the reason that my parents, siblings, and I don’t have to live in fear of them getting deported every day. Today, many immigrants live with this fear, when they should be able to live their life freely. After all, isn't this the place of “Home of the brave, land of the free?” 

Resources

Millet, E., & Pavilon, J. (2022, November 16). Undocumented Hispanic immigrants in the United States. The Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS). Retrieved April 18, 2023, from https://cmsny.org/publications/hispanic-undocumented-immigrants-millet-pavilon-101722/

Ruiz-Grossman, S. (2021, March 9). Undocumented immigrants won't get stimulus checks - for third time around. HuffPost. Retrieved March 14, 2023. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/undocumented-immigrants-no-stimulus-checks-coronavirus-again_n_6048025fc5b636ed3376acac 

 

Ernesto M. 

Yo estoy de acuerdo que den una aminstia para la genete trabajadora que lo merece. Porque ami me ayudo y abrio muchas puertas, mi esposa tambien pudo arrelgar sus papeles.

Maria M. 

Ayudaria a la gente trabajadora porque a la gente a veces no le quieren pagar su salario, porque no tiene sus papeles

Jacqueline M.

I agree with amnesty because it helps people have a better living and become successful. I think about my parents and how they came to this country to have a better life and overcome their struggles. It opened many doors for them.

Predators Among Us

 

🚷🚷🚷

Hi my name is Julia, and I don’t like these Predators in our streets.  

 A focus on San Gabriel and surrounding cities.

My issue is, you wouldn’t necessarily know that someone is a predator solely by looking at them 

Predators should have to wear a bracelet similar to an ankle monitor that lets people know just by looking at them that they are not safe around children. 

“These are real monsters and we’re going to put the monsters away for a long, long time. I don’t want to read about anymore of these kids dying because of sexual predators attacking and maiming and killing these kids in the most dreadful way.” — FL Senator Eleanor Sobel [Tonya Alanez and Dana Williams, “State senators pass sex offender legislation.” Sun-Sentinel, March 4, 2014]

Please note* On the contrary for the citizens sake, crimes such as physically attacking the “bracelet wearer” especially if they are just leading a normal task with out any suspicious activities then regular laws would apply in terms of physical assault. Physical assault is not condoned. 

https://www.nsopw.gov/

^ Use This website to look up registers. 

You can conveniently search by someone’s name or location.

Here is a true or false myths quiz on offenders:

    Most men who commit sexual offenses do not know their victim.

False. 90% of child victims know their offender, with almost half of the offenders being a family member. Of sexual assaults against people age 12 and up, approximately 80% of the victims know the offender.

    Most sexual assaults are committed by someone of the same race as the victim.

True. Most sexual assaults are committed by someone of the same race as the victim. An exception to this is that people who commit sexual assault against Native Americans are usually not Native American (American Indians and Crime, 1999).

   Most child sexual abusers use physical force or threat to gain compliance from their victims.

False. In the majority of cases, abusers gain access to their victims through deception and enticement, seldom using force. Abuse typically occurs within a long-term, ongoing relationship between the offender and victim and escalates over time.

   Most child sexual abusers find their victims by frequenting such places as schoolyards and playgrounds.

False. Most child sexual abusers offend against children whom they know and with whom they have established a relationship. Many sexual assaults of adult women are considered "confidence rapes," in that the offender knows the victim and has used that familiarity to gain access to her.

   Only men commit sexual assault.

False. While most sex offenders are male, sometimes sex offenses are committed by female offenders.

   Child sexual abusers are only attracted to children and are not capable of appropriate sexual relationships.

False. While there is a small subset of child sexual abusers who are exclusively attracted to children, the majority of the individuals who sexually abuse children are (or have previously been) attracted to adults.

   Victims of sexual assault are harmed only when offenders use force.

False. More than any physical injuries the victim sustains, the violation of trust.

This social issue directly affects me because I have been a victim of these predators and I believe for a safer world society it should be made clear who is criminals are I don’t think they should be hidden or protected since they have decided to rob people of their innocence.

I chose this issue because I have younger siblings that I care about very much and I would like to protect them as much as possible.  

Community Statements

 Noah B. 23year old from Montebello, California and he says “Most definitely, I would want to I known if my kids were near a child predator, get that ****** away from them.”

Vivian L. 20year old from Arcadia, California “ I definitely wouldn’t be opposed to knowing if im near a predator.”

Sarah I. 23years old “ I don’t see how monitors on sex offenders are a bad thing” 

If you also believe that these predators should not be hidden in plain sight, then please join me in on this.

Julia K. Knox

Mental Health Crisis in the Black Community- Jourdon Williams

 Mental Health Crisis in the Black Community

My entire life as a Black female, I never knew the severity of mental illness and how it should be taken serious. Let alone the severity of it within my own community. As I was growing up, whenever I would see someone displaying clear signs of a mental illness I was told to look the other way, it was drugs, or that it was something demonic inside of them and they needed prayer. But this never sat right with me. As a child it was obvious that the person wasn’t completely balanced mentally, at least for me to tell. But even then why would there need to be stigma attached to mental health?

Racial discrimination is a huge factor in todays mental health crisis. Dating back to slavery, slave owners would believe Black Americans had tough skin in a literal way. Meaning their skin were thicker and would be able to withstand a lot of experiments and surgeries without anesthesia. This caused a substantial amount of shock within the Black body which caused them to die. This is if a deadly infection didn’t already bring death to the person due to the lack of medical hygiene. 

This transfers into todays time when people assume Black people are mentally stronger which ultimately means they can withstand more abuse. This obviously is not true. Majority of human anatomy is made so that we can feel pain which is a signal to our body that we are not okay. There is no race or ethnicity that has stronger or tougher skin. We all have the same amount of layers within the skin. With the mentality that Black people are mentally stronger, this causes doctors to inaccurately diagnose them. “There must be something else wrong but you’re not (insert)” is what will happen when a doctor doesn’t see the a Black persons mental illness as serious. 

According to NAMI only 1 in 3 African Americans that are properly diagnosed with a mental illness. That means that there are millions of people who are mentally ill and are undiagnosed. Instead of receiving care at a mental hospital where they can properly get help, people seek ER’s which causes a longer wait time for other people who have life or death emergencies. “Less likely to receive guideline- consistent care. Less frequently included in research. And most likely to use emergency rooms and primary care rather than being at a medical facility” (NAMI 2). Without considering Black people in the research of mental health, there is no way anyone’s research is accurate. There are millions of unaccounted for mentally ill patients who walk these streets but may need to be in a institution. 

Why is it important to me?

As a young Black woman,  growing up in south central LA I couldn't help but see people with all kinds of mental illnesses walking the streets. I would often ask questions if I would notice the person visibly upset or displaying a symptom of a mental illness. Even with asking questions I was still able ti know something about that person is different. Thankfully I had immediate family who was open to explaining what was happening with the person. I know that there are many things that can either lead to mental illnesses including trauma but I'm aware that many people are born with it. Although people can be born with it, they may not display signs of it until later on in life. I also believe the stigma surrounding this issue isn't spoken about enough. Many people don't feel safe venting to others about what goes through their mind. It's constantly swept under the rug and not talked about which leaves a wedge between that person and their family or friends.

Why did I choose this issue?

I chose this issue because I have a sibling who suffers first hand from a mental health issue. I know as a sister and family member that many people in my community are undiagnosed and don't take this issue serious. For a while myself didn't fully understand the depth of it until 2020 hit and I felt my own mental health decline. I've dealt with many things in my life starting from the age of six when my father passed away. From there I've endured many losses and I never received the true help I needed. During my junior year of college I had the privilege to work on this issue and present a presentation on this topic in front of 432 people via zoom. Back then I learned so much about the mental health crisis within my community as well as how bad the issue goes silenced. When someone within the family has a mental illness it's known that members of said family will say to not ask any questions about it, "It's nothin but the devil", "It's nothin but them drugs" is what you're likely to hear. Of course the person should receive prayer, but not for the reason that he is associated with the devil or some sort of evil. There is too many Black people dealing with this issue for nothing to have nothing happened yet.

Community Response:

"The mental health issue within the black community is an issue that affects me directly. As there is this certain type of stigmatism the depicts black families to not treat mental health as serious. As growing up within a black family myself I grew up being taught to suppress certain emotions such as sadness or even depression. Often time being told to go “depress them dishes” or something similar to when I was depressed in my younger years. That’s just not with me however, I know for a fact that it’s been happening for generations so over the course of time we as a community didn’t take mental health as serious as we should’ve. If we as a community began to take this issue much more serious I believe there would be a serious improvement within our community."

Elizabeth G.

"It's not taken serious by elders like parents & grand parents. Some don’t believe in mental illness so it’s often swept under the rug as something that is being made up. This means no treatment or therapy for the illness which if untreated will just continue to get worse. This affects me directly because as a Black girl my mental health was not taken seriously by my parents. I was not put in therapy at a young age as I should’ve been and now as an adult  have to go through the process by myself."

Ericka W.

"Yes it affects me directly because because mental health is what keeps the black community back. Not too many other races other than Hispanics are used to seeing their friends die, let alone just people getting shot and murdered in cold blood. A lot of different races don’t have to deal with robberies. I have to worry about walking down the street and getting killed. A lot of the races don’t have to deal with being black. In the real world your time may be cut short because you are blind or may be because of how you act  because there’s something mentally wrong or some situation you dealt with.  In order for change everybody has to take mental health serious and get therapy. Understand that what you’re going through is not your fault and it’s not your parents fault. They deal with the best they can"

Byron H.

Crisis Support

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1(800)-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text NAMI to 741-741to receive free 24/7 support and to text with a trainer crisis counselor

Help Line for free referrals: 1(800)-950-6264

Monday-Friday, 7am-3pm (PT) 

References

Editors, Everyday Health. “Black Mental Health: Fighting Stigma and Building Trust.” Edited by Arefa Cassoobhoy, EverydayHealth.com, www.everydayhealth.com/black-health-facts/mental-health/. 

“Black and African American Communities and Mental Health.” Mental Health America, www.mhanational.org/issues/black-and-african-american-communities-and-mental-health. 

Mental health in black communities: Challenges, resources, community voices. NAMI California. (2021, June 18). Retrieved April 19, 2023, from https://namica.org/mental-health-challenges-in-african-american-communities/ 

Discrimination Against Latinos in the U.S - Bryan Gonzalez

                “Viva La Raza”

 

Background Information

    Latino immigrants in the past decade have risen in the United States. In many ways, the immigrants from the countries in Latin America have grown and integrated into communities all over the United States. "In 2019, Hispanic immigrants living in the U.S. made up 44% of the nation's 44.7 million immigrants" ( Lopez & Moslimani, 2022). Although Latino immigrants may have integrated and understood their communities, there has also been a rise in hate and discrimination towards them. Hispanic citizens and non-citizens have been mistreated.

The Facts

    Latinos have been discriminated in many possible way, which can range from job applications to trying to vote in the U.S. Chart 1 from Datz (2018) provided a survey demonstrating the possible ways Latinos have felt discriminated against and the settings in which this has occurred. Datz (2018) states, "roughly a third of Latinos report being discriminated against in their workplace and when seeking housing." 

    It also has been concerning as discrimination by the police occurs towards the Latino community. "Over a quarter of Latinos say they or a family member have been unfairly stopped or treated by the police because they are Latino; non-immigrant Latinos are more likely to report this" (Datz 2018). This can be shown in Chart 2, provided by Datz (2018), which demonstrates the population and participants that have answered the survey.

    

     A study found by Findling et al. (2019) conducted a survey of 3453 US citizens which 803 were Latinos and 902 were white.  Findling et al. (2019) reported that "Latinos were significantly more likely than whites to report experiencing discrimination in most institutional and interpersonal areas, including employment (applying for jobs: 33 percent vs 19 percent, p < 0.1, and obtaining equal pay or being considered for promotions: 32 percent vs 13 percent, p < 0.1)" (p.1414).  Not only does the research ranged in pay, police brutality, and voting, but the health care system also seems to flaw Latinos in the United States. Findling et al. (2019) also states that "Latinos were more likely than whites to report experiencing discrimination in health care in going to the doctor (20 percent vs 5 percent, p < 0.1)" (p.1414). The study presented by Findling et al. (2019) like Datz (2018) measure and present the statistical data of the Latinos' answers to survey questions which measured the likelihood of Latinos to face discrimination or/and racism.

Why is it important to me?

    As a Latino in the United States, I greatly connect with my roots. My parents are immigrants from Guatemala who decided to immigrate to the United States when they were both 17 years of age. Recently I have witnessed many of the members of my community who have received hate speech and discrimination towards them due to their ethnicity. I was also racially targeted and discriminated against due to my physical features and my ability to speak spanish. It feels very belittling and can complete shut down one's ability to adapt to the country.

Why did I choose Issue?

    I chose this issue because there has been a booming culture in the United States that has accepted the cultural parts of the Latin American communities. Still, they disregarded the members of those communities. Cultural appropriation has also been increasing, where they undermine and exclude Latinos. It can be emotionally and mentally scarring for many Latinos in communities who have tried to feel included in the United States but are pushed away due to legal status and physical features. It is a serious issue as there are growing incidents where street vendors, predominantly Latinos, are targeted by other communities.

Community Response

    Three Central American citizens that immigrated to the United States for a better opportunity in life shared their experience through questions about the familiarity of the topic. The questions that they were asked were: Have they experienced discrimination or racisms? If they have how did they feel? And what are your thoughts about this issues?

Donaldo Mena - Salvadoran descent

“Racism to me is hatred against another person. Many people suffer through it. It can be harming for people with emotional issues which could lead to dangerous effects. Racism and discrimination has happened to me in work, in a store, and a restaurant.”

Sonia Mena - Salvadoran descent 

“For me discrimination is a mix of racisms and bullying. It feels humiliating that it affects psychologically and self-esteem because I have experienced it. It is sad that racism can occur through verbal or physical acts.”

Beatriz Sanchez - Guatemalan descent

“Racisms is a real thing, I have seen it and heard it from many that have been affected by the discrimination. The scandal of the politicians laughing and racists remarks in Los Angeles against Afro Americans and Oaxacans (Mexican ethnicity). We all deserve respect no matter our color or education”

References 

Datz, T. (2018). Poll finds one-third of Latinos say they have experienced discrimination in their jobs and when seeking housing. News. Retrieved March 29, 2023, from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/poll-latinos-discrimination/

Findling, M. G., Bleich, S. N., Casey, L.S., Blendon, R.J., Benson, J.M., Sayde, J. M., & Miller, C., (2019). Discrimination in the United States: Experiences of latinos. Health Services Research, (54), 1409-1418.https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6773.13216

Lopez, M. H., & Moslimani, M. (2022). Latinos see the U.S. as better than a place of family ancestry for the opportunity, raising kids, and Health Care Access. Pew Research Center Race & Ethnicity. Retrieved March 28, 2023, from https://www.pewresearch.org/race-ethnicity/2022/01/20/latinos-see-u-s-as-better-than-place-of-familys-ancestry-for-opportunity-raising-kids-health-care-access/#:~:text=A%20quarter%20of%20the%20U.S.,Salvador%20and%20the%20Dominican%20Republic.

OVARIAN CANCER HEALTH DISPARITIES AMONG POC: YVONNE VILLALOBOS

OVARIAN CANCER: HEALTH DISPARITIES AMONG WOC (women of color)

General Knowledge

 According to the American Cancer Society's Cancer Facts & Figures for 2021, the mortality rate for ovarian cancer is higher in Black and Hispanic women than in White women. The age-adjusted ovarian cancer death rates for 2014-2018 per 100,000 women are: White women: 8.4, Black                                                                                            women: 11.6, and Hispanic women: 8.1

    Black women have a 38% higher mortality rate from ovarian cancer than White women, while Hispanic women have a similar rate to White women. It's important to note that these statistics are based on population-level data and may not reflect individual risk factors or experiences.

    There are several factors that contribute to the higher mortality rates for Hispanic and Black women with ovarian cancer compared to White women. 

Here are some reasons:

• Access to Healthcare: Hispanic and Black women are more likely to experience disparities in access to healthcare, which can delay the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer.

• Socioeconomic Status: Socioeconomic factors such as poverty, lower education levels, and lower income may contribute to health disparities in ovarian cancer outcomes among minority women.

• Genetics: Genetic differences between different racial and ethnic groups may also play a role in ovarian cancer outcomes. For example, specific genetic mutations, such as the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations, are more common in certain populations and may increase the risk of ovarian cancer.

• Biological Differences: There may be physical differences in the tumors of women from different racial and ethnic groups, which could impact how cancer responds to treatment.

• Cultural Beliefs: Cultural beliefs and practices may also influence healthcare decisions and attitudes toward cancer treatment, which could impact ovarian cancer outcomes.

    Addressing these disparities requires a multi-faceted approach that includes improving access to healthcare, addressing socioeconomic factors, increasing awareness of ovarian cancer risks, and understanding the biological and cultural factors that may impact treatment outcomes.

Research

• "Diversity in Ovarian Cancer Clinical Trials: A Call to Action" by Ann H. Klopp and Karen H. Lu, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2019, discusses the lack of diversity in ovarian cancer clinical trials and provides recommendations for improving representation.

Link:

https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/JCO.19.01338

• "Inclusion of Racial and Ethnic Minorities in Ovarian Cancer Clinical Trials" by Katherine E. Tucker and J. Alejandro Rauh-Hain, published in Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2020, examines the underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minorities in ovarian cancer clinical trials and offers potential solutions. 

Link: https://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/Fulltext/2020/10000/Inclusion_of_Racial_and_Ethnic_Minorities_in.18.aspx

Why do I care?

    All women have distinctive health requirements that vary from men, particularly regarding reproductive health. And maintaining good women's health is crucial for ensuring the optimal functioning of reproductive organs, safe and timely pregnancies, and healthy childbirths. In addition, having access to high-quality women's health services and education is vital for achieving gender equality and empowering women. When women have good health, they can fully engage in economic, social, and political activities, making significant contributions to the overall development of society.

    The driving force behind promoting diversity and inclusivity in ovarian cancer clinical trials is to generate more robust and universally applicable data, enhance trust, expand accessibility and participation, and ultimately, foster better equitable health outcomes, advance health equity, mitigate biases, champion social justice, and produce innovative scientific breakthroughs.

   

****DISCLAIMER: I have met multiple women at my workplace who have all been struggling with ovarian cancer; thus, posting interviews would fall under a violation of HIPPA law. But I would like to reiterate that most of these WOC did not get referred by a doctor or oncologist due to health biases or refused clinical trials due to mistrust of big pharma, which could have potentially given a better quality of care if only they had proper access to these options at their disposal, but most do not know or get offered an opportunity to be in clinical trials. Consequently,  all have had their conditions complicated because of the lack of health literacy, healthcare staff biases, and the embarrassment of using preventative care exams to avoid the spread of this disease. 

PLEASE SHARE WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

IT COULD MEAN LIFE OR DEATH FOR A LOVED ONE

Sleep

Sleep 

By: Marisol Diaz  

One of the things that many people have heard is the statement that sleep is important. It is repeated to us over and over again, "You need to sleep," "You need at least 8 hours of sleep." And while we may know that it is true, what exactly are sleep's benefits? Are they short-term? Are they long-term? Why is it necessary that we always get enough sleep? Aside from this, what are the consequences of not getting enough sleep? What affects sleep? What disorders exist? As a result, I felt that I needed to look more into sleep and inform those around me. 

Sleep Disorders 

While some people choose not to sleep, there exist disorders that affect sleep and life overall. In America, there are 50 to 70 million adults who seem to have a type of sleeping disorder. While many people think that they will never have a sleep disorder, that is incorrect, at least 1 out 3 individuals will be affected by a sleep disorder. For this blog, I will be focusing on three disorders; insomnia, sleep apnea, and narcolepsy

Insomnia: 

Insomnia is defined as having difficulty falling or staying asleep. When people cannot get enough sleep, they suffer from paranoia and hallucinations; those with insomnia end up suffering worsening paranoia and hallucinations. In America, there is a total of 30%-40% of adults complain about having insomnia symptoms. Insomnia has many symptoms, some being anxiety, sleepiness, and difficulty paying attention. 

There is such thing as short-term insomnia and chronic insomnia, meaning that while one may not have it for long, one might suffer with it for a long time or even forever. 

More information: 

An article titled Insomnia and the risk of depression: a meta-analysis for prospective cohort studies, conducted a research about the connection between insomnia and depression. This research concluded that their was a positive relationship between them. That as a result of insomnia, the probability of depression increased.

Sleep Apnea:

Sleep apnea is defined as having abnormal breathing while being asleep. Sleep apnea is a disorder more common than insomnia, and produces a lot more risk simply because many people go diagnosed. Not only is it more common, it can affect anyone at any age, including small children. Symptoms of sleep apnea include loud snoring, gasping for air while sleeping, waking up with a headache, and irritability. There exists two different forms of sleep apnea, central sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea. Each apnea has different  factors. (some examples below ↓) 

Factors of central sleep apnea: 

• family history 
• smoking 
• being male (men are more likely to have central sleep apnea) 
• excess weight (women have a higher risk if they are overweight or have already gone through menopause) 

Factors of obstructive sleep apnea: 

• being male 
• having had a stroke 
• being older
• heart disorders 

Narcolepsy: 

Narcolepsy is defined as a condition that causes extreme sleepiness throughout the day and results in causing someone to fall asleep suddenly during the day. As a result of having extreme sleepiness and suddenly falling asleep, people who have narcolepsy end up having problems with their daily routine. This is more problematic knowing that narcolepsy is a long term condition. Symptoms of narcolepsy include sudden loss in muscle tone, sleep paralysis, hallucinations and changes in one of the sleep patterns, rapid eye movement sleep (REM). People who have narcolepsy typically can be diagnosed between the age of 10 - 30, but can still happen at any age. 

Benefits of sleep 

Sleep has many benefits. Sleep helps the body produce proteins, restore, reduce stress, and help in memory and performance. While our body is sleeping cytokines are produced. Cytokines are proteins that have immune-boosting effects and serve as fuel for our white blood cells. Aside from this, while our body is sleeping our muscles repair, our tissue grows and hormones are released.

An article titled, Cognitive benefits of last night's sleep; daily variations in children's sleep behavior are related to working memory fluctuations, looks at the performance of children. They studied 110 elementary school children and their sleep habits. The results concluded that their cognitive performance, was affected through sleep quality, time in bed, and daytime tiredness. Children who have a low performance level, show that they had low sleep quality. 

While sleep plays a part on the performance of individuals, quality also plays a part. While someone may get 8 hours of sleep, they might not have been comfortable or had nightmares, as a result it could make them reckless or affect the way they wake up. Those two things then play a role on how they feel for the rest of the day. For example, if I woke up feeling tired or irritated, I might feel irritated at the people around me and snap for what others might see as nothing. As a result a relationship could be strained. 

Hours of sleep 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this is the amount of hours that each age should get. (newborn to adults) 

Community Members: 

⮜ Michael       

⮜ Cynthia  

Personal: 

One of the reasons I chose to talk about sleep is because I noticed how my sleep schedule changes throughout the year. Sometimes I feel like I have gotten enough sleep, and other times I feel I do not need sleep. Although I hear a lot of the time that I need sleep, I wanted to look more into what the benefits of sleep are. Another reason I decided to investigate sleep is that, as a student, I prioritize my work more than I do sleep, and I know that my friends do as well. As a student, I wanted to inform myself and others of the benefits of sleep, especially for our studies. I wanted to know if other things affected our sleep, which could then affect our interactions and overall lives. 

Sources: 

Julia, N. (2023, February 17). Sleep Statistics: Facts & Latest Data in America (2023 Update) - CFAH. CFAH. https://cfah.org/sleep-statistics/

Könen, T., & Schmiedek, F. (2015). Cognitive benefits of last night’s sleep: daily variations in children’s sleep behavior are related to working memory fluctuations. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 56(2), 171–182. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12296

Li, L., Wu, C., Gan, Y., Qu, X., & Lu, Z. (2016). Insomnia and the risk of depression: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. BMC Psychiatry, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-016-1075-3