Cuidando de tu salud

"En los últimos 25 años, el porcentaje de niñas que están sobre peso se ha duplicado", dice la American Academy of Pediatrics. Las niñas que son parte de minorías tienen el mayor riesgo de obesidad infantil. Este grupo de minorías incluye a las niñas latinas. El sobrepeso puede causar problemas de salud crónicos como la diabetes tipo II. La falta de atención de la salud pone a los grupos minoritarios en un mayor riesgo de ser menos saludable.

Algunos de los obstáculos que una latina se enfrenta al tratar de acceder a la atención de la salud incluyen la lingüística, las creencias culturales, y la situación financiera, de acuerdo con, el Center for Studying Health System Change. En algunos casos puede ser un reto para que una mujer latina entienda inglés por lo tanto, se sienten intimidados a buscar atención médica, ya que puede ser que los proveedores de salud no les ayudarán en su lengua materna.

Además, la cultura juega un papel en el cuidado de la salud. Específicamente en la cultura latina algunas de las familias creen en la medicina holística en lugar de la medicina occidental tradicional. Entonces eso resulta en no ir al médico, según dice la investigadora ,Catalina Dower. Además, financieramente hay muchas familias latinas que son de bajos ingresos, según el Censo 2010 de Estados Unidos, que hace que sea difícil pagar la atención médica.

Estar sano y prevenir la obesidad es muy importante. Si usted se encuentra en una situación donde usted no ha visitado a un médico en un largo periodo de tiempo le aconsejo que tome el control de su salud y haga una cita. A continuación ice una lista de algunas clínicas locales en Santa Rosa. Algunas ofrecen servicios gratuitos a los adolescentes, mientras que otros ofrecen una tarifa muy baja. No se sienta avergonzado de buscar los recursos que pueda necesitar, ya que están aquí para su uso.

Elsie Allen Health CenterPhone: 707-528-5770599 Bellevue Avenue, G17Santa Rosa, CA 95407Web: www.myelsie.orgView Map

The Vista Family Health CenterPhone: 707-303-36003569 Round Barn CircleSanta Rosa, CA 95403View Map

Southwest Community Health centerPhone: 707-547-2222751 Lombardi CourtSanta Rosa, CA 95407

Taking care of your health

“Over the past 25 years, the percentage of overweight girls has more than doubled,” says the American Academy of Pediatrics . Minority girls have the highest rates of childhood obesity. That includes Latinas girls. Being overweight can lead to chronic health problems like Type II diabetes. The lack of health care puts minority groups at a greater risk of being unhealthy.

Some of the barriers that a Latina faces when trying to access health care include linguistics, cultural beliefs, and financial status, according to the Center for Studying Health System Change. In some cases it can be a challenge for a Latina to understand English therefore; they feel intimidated to seek health care because it may be a possibility that the health care providers will not assist them in their native language.

In addition, culture plays a role in health care. Specifically in the Latino culture some of the families believe in holistic medicine as opposed to traditional western medicine. Leading Latina’s to not visit a doctor, according to researcher Catherine Dower. Also , financially wise there are many Latino families who are low- income according the 2010 U.S Census which makes it challenging to afford health care.

Being healthy and preventing obesity is very important. If you are are in a situation where you have not visited a doctor in a long period of time I advice you to take control of your health and set up an appointment. Below are some local clinics in Santa Rosa. Some offer free services to teens while others offer a very low rate. Don’t be embarrassed to seek the resources that you may need because they are here for you to use!

Elsie Allen Health CenterPhone: 707-528-5770599 Bellevue Avenue, G17Santa Rosa, CA 95407Web: http://www.myelsie.org/View Map

The Vista Family Health CenterPhone: 707-303-36003569 Round Barn CircleSanta Rosa, CA 95403View Map

Southwest Community Health centerPhone: 707-547-2222751 Lombardi CourtSanta Rosa, CA 95407View Map

Un blog de nuestra lider Alexis Vargas: Abrazos, no Drogas

De acuerdo con la American Academy Child and Adolescent Psychiatrylas, las cinco drogras más utilizados por los adolescentes son la mariguana, medicamentos recetados, éxtasis, inhalantes, cocaína y heroína. Muchos adolescentes empiezan a consumir drogas a una edad muy joven, porque quieren quedar bien delante de sus amigos preocupados de que no podrán ser parte de un circulo de amigos o también puede ser la curiosidad.

Lo que los jóvenes no tienen en mente son las consecuencias de corto y largo plazo que tienen las drogas .La cocaína, restringe el flujo sanguíneo al cerebro, acelera el ritmo cardíaco y causa la coagulación sanguínea, lo que aumenta la posibilidad de sufrir un derrame cerebral o un ataque al corazón. La cocaína también limita la capacidad del cuerpo para combatir infecciones. No sólo eso, pero el usuario también está en mayor riesgo de tener hepatitis, enfermedades de transmisión sexual y VIH / SIDA. La heroína causa colapso de las venas, infección bacteriana de los vasos sanguíneos y las válvulas del corazón.

Algunos adolescentes piensan que la mariguana no es una gran cosa y no afecta el cuerpo. De hecho, genera problemas respiratorios, como tos y sibilancias. También aumenta la posibilidad de resfriados de pecho. El uso intensivo diario de la mariguana afecta las partes del cerebro que controlan la memoria, la atención y el aprendizaje. Por otra parte, aquellos que toman los inhalantes sufren de insuficiencia cardíaca. Los inhalantes también pueden causar asfixia, debilidad muscular, falta de coordinación y puede dañar gravemente los órganos vitales.

Finalmente, una de las razones por cual las drogas recetadas son abusados es ​​por que son fácil de obtener. El uso de drogas prescritas de forma no adecuada pueden llevar a cambios de humor, vómito, disminución de la capacidad de pensar y también puede disminuir la función respiratoria. Ahora que usted esta consciente de las consecuencias que las drogas traen tome la decisión correcta, y mantengase libre de drogas.

Un blog de nuestra Lider Aolani Contreras: La clave para una vida exitosa es el equilibrio

Como Pablo menciono en el blog anterior, "a mí me parece que el estrés está controlando la vida de muchos estudiantes, especialmente los de la escuela secundaria y la universidad." Estoy totalmente de acuerdo. Como estudiante todos pasamos por momentos llenos de tensión, pero es normal. Tenemos que ir a la escuela, hacer la tarea, limpiar las habitaciones, y aparte de eso tenemos que lidiar con los problemas sociales y familiares, esas son un montón de cosas que tenemos que hacer en tan poco tiempo. Pero siempre es importante tener en cuenta que podemos tomar un descanso, toma por lo menos 30 minutos al día para sentarte y reflexionar, puede ser una de las mejores decisiones que puedes tomar.
Pablo menciono algunas cosas que usted puede hacer para poder aliviar el estrés y me gustaría añadir a esa lista:

* puedes tomar tiempo para ver tu programa favorito

* juega un juego de vídeo

* da un paseo o ve a dar una carrera

* lee un libro

* medita

* escucha música o

* toma una siesta

Otra cosa que puedes hacer es simplemente comer la cena en la mesa en vez de comer en su escritorio mientras usted está haciendo la tarea. Eso puede hacer una gran diferencia. Has tomar un descanso una prioridad diaria. Las investigaciones han demostrado que las personas que toman descansos son más saludables y felices. Empezando mañana si te sientes como si estuvieras a punto de explotar por hacer tanta tarea sal para afuero por un momento y respirar, esos momentos te quitaran un gran peso de tus hombros y te sentirás más saludable. Y ten en cuenta que la clave del éxito es el equilibrio.

Guest blog by Peer Leader Aolani Contreras: The key to a successful life is balance

As Pablo mentioned on the previous blog,” it seems to me that stress is controlling many students’ lives, especially those from high school and college.” I completely agree. As students we all go through moments full of stress, but it’s normal. We have to go to school, do homework, clean our rooms, and apart from that we have to deal with social and family issues; those are a lot of things to do in so little time. But it’s always important to remember that it’s okay to rest; taking at least 30 minutes a day to just sit down and reflect, can be one of the best decisions you make.

Pablo mentioned some things you can do to relief your stress and I would like to add on to that list:
*You can take time to watch your favorite show

*play a video game

*take a walk or go on a run

*read a book

*meditate

*listen to music or

* take a nap

Another thing that you can do is to simply have dinner at the dinner table and not on your desk while you do homework can make a huge difference. Make taking a break a daily priority. Tests have proven that people who take breaks are healthier and happier.Starting tomorrow if you feel like you’re about to explode from doing so much homework go outside and breathe, those moments will take a huge weight off your shoulders and you’ll feel healthier! And keep in mind that the key to success is balance.

Un blog de nuestro Líder Pablo Cruz, La Rutina Diaria: ¿Cuánto tiempo hasta que nos cáiganos?

Me parece que el estrés esta controlando la vida de muchos estudiantes, especialmente los de la escuela secundaria y la universidad. El estrés inicia al instante que el ruido de la alarma suena. Una de mis buenas amigas, dijo: "odio tener que levantarme al ruido de la alarma .

Se siente como que penetra a través de mi cuerpo. "Como estudiante, mis días comienzan con el estrés. Me apresuro a tomar el desayuno y para alistar mis materiales. Tan pronto como llego a la escuela el parqueadero es una molestia y temo que voy a llegar tarde a clase. Mientras camino rápidamente ya puedo escuchar a mi profesor diciendo: "¿mi clase comenzó minutos antes por qué llegas tarde?" Pero finalmente llego a la clase y el profesor pregunta "¿cómo fue la lectura? ... bien, bien, porque vamos a tener un examen."

Incluso cuando estoy sentado sin el examen enfrente de mí, la ansiedad comienza a abrumar a mi cuerpo como un perro hambriento. A pesar de que llegué a clase al final del día estoy agotado mentalmente, físicamente e incluso emocionalmente.

Aun cuando el día de la escuela se ha terminado el estrés continúa ya que algunos estudiantes corren a casa a comer un bocadillo y se preparan para ir al trabajo. Después de 4-6 horas de trabajo, se ha llegado el momento de volver a casa cansados, con hambre, sueño, y agotados. Es tiempo para descansar. Pero la realidad es que no hay tiempo para descansar debido a las tareas. Entonces, de rapantemente se llega la medianoche, o incluso a veces las 2 a.m. Con sólo 5-7 horas de haber dormido los estudiantes se despiertan agotados y una vez más, el estrés toma control.

Escribo esto para tratar de apoyar a todos los estudiantes por su gran trabajo. La escuela no es fácil para todos y tenemos que tomar un descanso, y ser pacientes. Manténgase activos en algún tipo de ejercicio y lo más importante, duerman y sonrían.

Guest Blog by Peer Leader Pablo Cruz, Daily Routine: How Long Until We Fall?

It seems to me that stress is controlling many students’ lives, especially those from high school and college. It begins from the very second we get up to that noisy alarm clock. One of my good friends said “I hate waking up to the alarm clock. It feels like it pierces through my body.”

As a student my days begin with stress. I rush to eat breakfast and to get my supplies ready. As soon as I arrive to school parking is a hassle and I fear that I will be late for class. While walking at a fast paste I can already hear my professor saying, “my class started minutes ago why are you late?” But I finally make it to class and the teacher mentions “how was the reading? ...okay good, because we’re having a quiz.”

Even when I am sitting without the exam in front of me, I tend to freak out as the anxiety starts to overwhelm my body like a starving dog. Even though I made it to class at the end of the day, I tend to be both mentally and physically drained, and maybe even emotionally.

Even when the school day is over the stress continues as some students rush home, eat a snack, and get ready to drive to work. After 4-6 hours of work, it is finally time to go home tired, hungry, sleepy, and exhausted. It is time to rest. But the reality is that there is no time to rest due to homework. Then suddenly it is about midnight, maybe or sometimes even 2 a.m. With only 5-7 hours of sleep a day students tend to wake up exhausted and once again the stress is talking control.

I write this to try and give a pat on the back to all students, great job! School is not easy for everyone and we have to always relax, take a break, and be patient. Stay active in some sort of exercise and most importantly, sleep and smile.

¿Tatuajes hechos en casa?

A medida que camino por los pasillos de mi universidad, veo tatuajes en todas partes, algunos son muy grandes, mientras que otros son pequeños y sencillos. Los tatuajes son más populares entre los estudiantes más jóvenes. Al parecer, los estudiantes han estado esperando a que cumplan los 18 años para correr y hacerse un tatuaje. Lo que me sorprendió más fue cuando pregunte en dónde se habían hecho su tatuaje. Algunos estudiantes dijeron , "en un despacho de tatuajes", mientras que otros dijeron, “es hecho en casa". La dermatólogo, Dr. Lisa Kellett menciona que los tatuajes hechos en casa le preocupación porque el producto y las herramientas que se utilizan por lo general no son estériles. También dijo, "el riesgo inmediato para la salud puede ser una infección, y el segundo riesgo es que la piel se puede traumatizar." También es importante tener en cuenta que si una aguja infectada se utiliza hay un riesgo de hepatitis y VIH. "Las infecciones pueden transmitirse de varias maneras en un lugar que no es profesional, por ejemplo el uso de agujas no esterilizadas, no usar guantes para un tatuaje o trabajar en un ambiente sucio," dijo la Dr. Kellett.

Otros riesgos contra la salud incluyen, unos granos que pueden salir en la piel llamados granulomas que se forman alrededor de la tinta del tatuaje de acuerdo con Mayo Clinics. Después de que el tatuaje se aplica también es importante de mantenerlo en bien estar. Mayo Clinics, dice que el vendaje se puede quitar después de 24 horas y luego debes aplicar una pomada antibiótica en la piel tatuada mientras se está sanando. Use jabón y agua para mantener limpia la zona tatuada. Evite la aplicación de crema hidratante y la exposición al sol para que permita que el tatuaje se sane adecuadamente. Pero se necesitará alrededor de dos semanas para que el tatuaje se sane. Así que ten cuidado de no picarte las costras, para que no corras el riesgo de una infección.

A pesar de que un tatuaje hecho en casa puede ser más barato, al largo plazo podría llegar a infectarse y será mucho más caro. Se llevará a minutos u horas para conseguir un tatuaje, pero tomará varios tratamientos para eliminarlo. Aunque yo no estoy en contra o para los tatuajes, es importante conocer los peligros y los pasos para un buen cuidado de tatuajes. Antes de ponerte un tatuaje es muy recomendable de que pienses bien lo que deseas y si es algo de lo que no te arrepentirás en diez años, porque todos sabemos que los tatuajes son permanentes. Como una joven de 18 años, mis gustos han cambiado con los años y sería un desafío para mí tomar la decisión drástica de hacerme un tatuaje y esperar a quedar satisfecha a medida de que envejezco. Hay por lo menos un 50% de probabilidad de que un tatuaje puede ser no deseado en una edad más avanzada. También la posible eliminación de un tatuaje, con todo el dolor que lleva debe ser una consideración.

El acoso escolar no sera tolerado!

La escuela está a la vuelta de la esquina para los estudiantes. Los estudiantes de secundaria comienzan la escuela hoy y los estudiantes universitarios van a comenzar pronto. Mientras estaba en facebook hace unos días atrás todos estaban hablando de cómo se iban a vestir, con que se iban a juntar, y cuales clases iban a tomar. Pero había un mensaje en particular que me llamó mucho la atención. Decia, "solicitud especial a todos los niños que regresan a la escuela en los próximos días: Si ves a alguien que está luchando por hacer amigos o están siendo intimidado por que él / ella no tienen muchos amigos o porque son tímidos o porque no están tan bonita/o o porque se visten con ropa que no esta a la moda -POR FAVOR ayúdalos. Diles hola o dales una sonrisa por lo menos en el pasillo. Nunca sabes por lo que esta persona podría estar enfrentando fuera de la escuela. Su bondad sólo puede hacer una gran diferencia en la vida de alguien.” Las estadísticas del acoso escolar del 2009 dicen que entre el 15 y el 25 por ciento de los estudiantes en general son víctimas frecuentes del acoso escolar y del 15 al 20 por ciento de estudiantes intimidan a otros estudiantes a menudo. Cuando leí este mensaje de facebook me puse muy contento porque no a sólo más de 20 jóvenes les gusto el mensaje pero también había muchos comentarios positivos y finalmente este mensaje terminó siendo repartido en otros facebooks. Esto demuestra que los jóvenes están tratando de hacer una diferencia para ponerle un fin al acoso escolar.

El acoso escolar es cuando alguien sigue haciendo o diciendo cosas que tienen poder sobre otra persona. No sólo el acoso escolar afecta a una persona mentalmente sino también físicamente. Algunos de los efectos del acoso escolar son la depresión, estar nervioso y distante, no querer ir a la escuela, ansiedad y tendencias suicidas. Si usted o alguien a su alrededor está siendo intimidado hay algunas cosas que usted puede hacer para detenerlo. Ignorar al agresor y aléjate. También es importante hablar con un adulto de confianza acerca de la situación, te escucharan. Si ves a alguien siendo intimidado siempre debes de tratar de ponerle un alto a la situación, por que si no lo haces el mensaje que estás dando es que tu estas de acuerdo con el acoso escolar.

El SCPOC ha estado trabajando en un video para crear conciencia sobre el acoso escolar. Vaz a poder verlo en un par de semanas pero por ahora me gustaría animar a todos los estudiantes a que le pongan un alto al acoso escolar.

Bullying will not be tolerated!

School is right around the corner for students. High school students start school today and college students are starting soon. While I was on facebook a few days ago everyone was talking about what they were going to wear, who they were going to hang out with, and what classes they had. But there was one post in particular that really caught my attention. It stated “Special request to all you kids returning to school in the next few days: If you see someone who is struggling to make friends or being bullied because he/she doesn't have many friends or because they are shy or not as pretty or not dressed in the most "in" clothes -PLEASE step up. Say hi or at least smile at them in the hallway. You never know what that person might be facing outside of school. Your kindness might just make a BIG difference in someone's life.” The 2009 Bullying statistics say that between 15 and 25 percent of students overall are frequent victims of bullying and 15 to 20 percent of students bully others often. To see this post elated me because not only did it have over 20 “likes” from other teens but it also had many positive comments and it eventually ended up being on other teen’s statuses. This demonstrates that teens are trying to make a difference and put a stop to bullying.

Bullying is when someone keeps doing or saying things to have power over another person. Not only does bullying affect someone mentally but also physically. Some effects of being bullied include depression, being nervous and distant, not wanting to go to school, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. If you or someone around you is being bullied there are a few things you can do to stop it. Ignore the bully and walk away. It is also important to talk to a trusted adult about the situation, they will listen to you. If you see someone being bullied you should always try to stop it otherwise the message that you are delivering is that bullying is okay with you.

The SCPOC has been working on an awareness video on bullying that you will be able to see in a few weeks but for now, I would like to encourage all students to do their part and put a stop to bullying.

"No Homo"- Blog by Peer Leader Marcos Garcilazo

I recently watched an organization's public service announcement that promoted condom use to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS. I remember the gist of it, but as a matter of fact, the makers of the video lost me within four seconds.

The video had very little dialogue, but they used Lil' Wayne's "Lollipop" as the background music for their video. If you are not familiar with the song, click on the following link and pay very close attention to the lyrics.

Lollipop

Did you catch it? It's four seconds into the video/song. If you're not used to having gay slurs thrown in your direction you might have missed it. Heck, even if you are you might have missed it. If you did miss it, click the link again and really try and hear it.

Four seconds in, he says "no homo." The expression, if you are unaware, is used to clarify that under no conditions is any of the following to be interpreted as gay. The expression is very common on most social websites like Twitter and Facebook. The expression bases itself in the fear that anything - describing a shirt or even the weather - may be interpreted as the speaker being gay, and implying that there is something inherently wrong or offensive about being gay. Once again our culture has found a away to put down gay individuals everywhere constantly - first it was "that's gay" and now it's "no homo."

When I heard that in a video, they lost me. I wasn't listening because I was wondering "How could an organization perpetuate a negative phrase against such a vast part of the community when they're supposed to be educating them about condom usage?" Gay men tend to be at a higher risk for HIV/AIDS, so I struggle to understand why they would use a song that marginalizes gay people within the first four seconds.

There are more rap songs out there than I care to count, and some just as popular (if not more popular) than Lil' Wayne's song. Now, it is hard to miss it but if someone is used to being harassed for their sexual orientation, they won't miss it. If one is constantly demonized, when that demonization makes it into a video that's supposed to encourage safe sex, they're not going to hear the message. They'll hear the homophobic remark at the very beginning.

As I said earlier, gay men are at a higher risk of HIV/AIDS if protection isn't used, so it troubles me that one of the more at-risk target populations is being ignored. Stigma is a cause of risky sexual behavior, so it's important to remember what our language is doing to a community. I should hope that organizations will think very carefully when deciding what content to include, and in so doing they will ensure that their message is actually heard by those who would benefit from hearing it. With so many gay youth completing suicide in recent months, it should be obvious that we need to be more sensitive about language and the words we use.

Our Deepest Frustration- A Blog Post by Peer Leader Jesús Guzmán

Our Deepest Frustration

It was years ago that I remember reading everything Malcolm X from his childhood, to his conversion to Islam, to his visit to Mecca, and his legacy now. In particular, there stood one saying as stall as the man himself. It read, “A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything.” Those are powerful words. Those are words that reflect the self-deprecation and downtrodden attitude of young men and woman of color in this country. However, it applies to them in a slightly altered way, because as Malcolm’s Man seems to be aware of what he could potentially stand for, and instead chooses not to. These young men and woman I speak of, they haven’t yet been given an opportunity to stand for anything, in fact, they haven’t yet been taught how to stand at all. They have yet to be educated on what they could be, should be, can be, will be one day. We must educate our coming generation of young men and woman of who they can be by including in our classrooms examples of who they can become.

In our classrooms of American History we see only old white men. In our classrooms of Literature we read only old white men. In our classrooms of Science we learn only about the discoveries made by old white men. In our classrooms of Philosophy we are only exposed to old white men. There’s a pattern. And for those of the Caucasian persuasion, that’s perfectly fine and dandy. But for those of us who are not, when we are sitting in those classrooms, we look up and see who we are not, who we can’t be, who we can never be, and who we don’t want to be. I remember sitting in my AP English class senior year in High School reading various authors and works of literary merit, novels which I still hold dear to my heart today such as Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray and Heller’s Catch-22. One afternoon after class I approached my instructor and asked why none of the authors we were reading for class were not from Latin America. He promptly answered, “This is an English class, not a Spanish class.” That’s true. But what I failed to understand is why we were reading Crime & Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky then. We certainly were not reading it in the original Russian, so I was obviously not asking him to read Carlos Fuentes in the original Spanish. This point seemed to elude him entirely, as I’m sure many other things seemed to elude him entirely, as well. I remember to this day, that what I was asking was not a Spanish course in Latin American Literature, though that would be pretty sweet, but instead an incorporation of actual “WORLD” Literature, as the class falsely advertised. I wanted to read Octavio Paz. I wanted to know Gabriel Garcia Marquez and hang out with Jorge Luis Borges and kick back with Mario Vargas Llosa and have a drink with Julio Cortazar and wax poetic with Sandra Cisneros and enjoy the cool comfort of the afternoon breeze talking indigenismo with Jose Vasconcelos. But what I wanted the most was to see an example of what I could one day become. I wanted to see hope.

It may sound absurd to hear that the dropout rate of young Latino students in American schools could change somehow by incorporating history and literature on their own culture, but I stand here firm in my conviction that the case is as I state it. Sitting in History I can recount thinking how Benjamin Franklin was a harlot, Jefferson a hypocrite, Sam Adams an alcoholic, and how I was tired of my history teaching telling me to write about Cesar Chavez. Enough already, I get it, he was awesome, but I can’t write a report on him every year! So, I am frustrated. I am frustrated because others are not frustrated. I am frustrated because others are not angry. I am frustrated because others are not furious. I frustrated because this is cultural genocide and so few seem to notice and much less care. Young men and woman of color are growing up and so few heroes are held up to idolize as examples of what each of us can one day be. Systematically we hold up white idols and ignore all others. It causes at least two effects I can account for: One, by upholding white Americans as the primary source of idolatry we are falsely affirming that white is right. Two, by downplaying great minds of Latin America, and elsewhere, for example, we are confirming the gnawing suspicion of each and every young man and woman that as an ethnicity in America you are less because you are not white, you cultural heritage is excluded in the classroom much like you are in the rest of American society. Self-esteem here becomes a huge issue. It becomes the major hurdle to acknowledging the little known truth that so many young Latinos are not privy to, yet ought to know. I simply ask that we include more heroes of various cultures to light the way for unbound potential of today’s youth. Fortunately for me, I had a great junior year English teacher who said why say it yourself when someone else has already said it for you. So, in homage of her enormous impact on my life and many others, I’m sure, I will allow the great author Marianne Williamson to close for me:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

"I love boobies." Do you?

"I love boobies." The phrase makes my inner middle-schooler giggle.

All giggles aside, I am referring to a new trend sweeping California. In addition, the trend is for a really great cause; breast cancer awareness. The Carlsbad based nonprofit Keep A Breast decided the best way increase awareness among teens was to start producing rubber bracelets similar to the Lance Armstrong bracelets. The bracelets are bright pink (or pretty much any color you want if you go to their website) and have the tag line "I love boobies" in big, bold letters. 100% of the profits sold go to the Keep A Breast Foundation.

So what's the drama over this good cause? Many California schools and parents feel like the bracelets are "sexually suggestive" and should not be allowed on the wrists of tweens and teens. According to the ABC news story, Kelly Avants, the spokeperson for the Clovis school district, stated that the bracelets are in clear violation of the school dress code and they have been banned. Kelly McAtee from Keep A Breast fired back at Avants, saying that "boobies is not a four letter word."

With this recent news, there has been a sudden surge in popularity at the I Love Boobies Facebook group. The page is 2,000 members strong (maybe some of those people could "Like" the SCPOC page....) and the growth doesn't seem to be slowing down. Many of those contributing to the page are teens stating that they simply want to support friends and family members who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. One teen posted that his First Amendment rights had been violated. There's even a comment from a young adult that mentions that since more young women are being diagnosed with breast cancer, it is important for teens to know about the risks and start self-exams early.

I can understand the need to keep graphic and offensive sexual language out of classroom, but how many people really consider the word "boobies" offensive? Also, by not allowing young people to be passionate about a cause, are we saying that teens cannot be activists? For almost half a year I have been working with a group of dedicated, opinionated, and driven teens and young adults at the Sonoma County Peer Outreach Coalition. I would never dream of telling the Peer Leaders not to be outspoken about the causes of which they are passionate.

What happens when you start telling youth that they cannot be activists?

Teen Mental Health A-Palooza!!!

The Sonoma County Peer Outreach Coalition has been BUSY. Aside from our regular duties of updating all of our social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace, we have also been busy with lots of other activities! Here's what we've been up to:

Updating Our Website

*whew!* That was hard work! For the past few weeks we have been building resource pages on the website. Do you want to know more about depression? What do you do if a friend has an eating disorder? Have you ever heard of K2? Do you know how to put on a condom correctly? What should you think about before you come out of the closet?

Did any one of those leave you scratching your head? Check out our resource page on the website to get all the facts. We're just calling it a "Teen Mental Health A-Palooza!"

Chillin' at the South Park Day and Night Festival

On Saturday, August 14, the Peer Leaders headed to Martin Luther King Jr. Park to promote the Peer Outreach Coalition. We handed out dozens of our new stickers, resource lists, and had a raffle for two tickets to Great America! The Festival was a blast too! The food was yummy and the day was full of non-stop music, dancing, and martial arts demonstrations. It was a great day!

Be sure to go to our Facebook page and check out the photos we posted!

Recording Radio Shows

What are you doing Sunday night? Well, if you are near a radio or computer, tune in to KRCB (Radio FM 91) to hear the Peer Outreach Coalition on the hit show Outbeat Youth! Peer Leaders Marcos Garcilazo, Jesús Guzman, and Vanessa Romero (along with group faciliator Shana Friedman) will be discussing their experiences with the POC and helping the LGBTQ community! The show airs at 8pm on August 22, and if radios are just too mid-nineties for you, you can stream the show online at the KRCB website.

So, feed your inquiring mind at our website resource page, check out our photos from the festival, and listen to us on the radio too! It's just another wonderful weekend with the Sonoma County Peer Outreach Coalition. Have a happy and healthy weekend!

Back to school blues

It's that time of year again. Throughout Sonoma County (and across the nation) children, teens, and college students are heading back to the classroom. Many of the Sonoma County Peer Outreach Coalition's Peer Leaders are going back to school this week too. Things are about to get busy!

Some of you may be heading off to college for the first time. This is an exciting transition! For the first time you may be living away from home. Independence! Freedom! Partying! Before you get too excited, remember the reason you are going away to school is *ahem* school.

Despite all these feelings of excitement, going to college can stir up some emotions you may not be prepared for. Although college is an opportunity to meet lots of new people, sometimes students find that they are socially isolated and lonely. According to this recent article, mental health problems are on the rise among college students. The students who are most likely to seek counseling or other resources on campus are the ones who feel disconnected from peers or feel like they are not "fitting in" at the school.

According to the study by Hofstra University, "moderate to severe depression increased to 41 percent in 2009, compared to 34 percent in 1997 and 1998." Also, the study reported that impulsive behaviors (such as drinking, fighting, and stealing) were on the rise. The incidence of students exhibiting self-destructive behaviors (such as cutting or other forms of self-injury) doubled during the last decade.

But there is good news! According to the same study, student reports of suicidal thoughts were down by fifteen percent! It has been suggested that this is due to college student's increased access to on campus counseling and health services.

So if you are going away to college, where can you turn for support?

• Your campus health center Check out your college health center. Most have access to counseling and mental health services.



• Your friends Reach out to your classmates and friends. A phone call to a friend from high school who is attending a different school may boost your mood.



• Your family There is nothing wrong with calling home to talk about how you are feeling! Also, if you have health insurance, your family might be able to help you locate a mental health professional under your insurance plan to help with the strong emotions you are dealing with



• Your online social network There is a wealth of information on the internet. On Facebook, the Sonoma County Peer Outreach Coalition links to a variety of Facebook pages and websites about suicide prevention, depression, and anxiety. There are also numerous online resources dedicated to college students such as ULifeline. Right now you can also check out Psych Central which currently has a back-to-school mental health guide

Remember, it is completely normal to feel depressed and overwhelmed at times. Going to college for the first time is a life-changing experience. If you feel like your enjoyment of this exciting time in your life is being overshadowed by feelings of sadness or hopelessness, then please make an appointment with you campus health center. There is nothing wrong with seeking help for depression or anxiety symptoms. As you can tell by these articles, students are making the choice to get help more frequently.

The Sonoma County Peer Outreach Coalition frequently uses the saying "Got Mental Health?" Take care of your body, take care of your mind, and when we ask you if you've got mental health you can say proudly, "Why yes, I do!"

"Equality: 1, Bigotry: 0." Guest blog post by Peer Leader Marcos Garcilazo

Yesterday was a historic day for LGBTQ rights in the state of California. Since members of the LGBTQ population are often at an increased risk of stress, anxiety, and depression due to discrimination, Marcos has graciously written this post on his thoughts about Prop 8, equality, and discrimination. Thanks Marcos!

Yesterday afternoon, I was one of the millions of people on Twitter who was furiously refreshing their feed hoping that the Fail Whale would not show up. The day before, the judge who had been presented with the case that would rule Proposition 8 (which banned gay marriage in California back in November 2008) was going to release his decision. I was overcome with the same feeling that I felt the night of November 2008 when Americans made history by electing the first African-American man to office: history would be made that day once again.

At 2PM PST, Twitter exploded (it really exploded) with the news: the Judge had ruled Prop 8 unconstitutional, meaning that people in favor of gay marriage had won this round. I have to admit that a huge grin adorned my face as I proudly updated my Facebook status with a link to the ruling and my own little comment - "Equality: 1, Bigotry: 0." I understand this is but the first step in what's surely going to be a marathon, but it's a step in what I believe to be the right direction.

As of yesterday, a very large part of the population got affirmation on a very deep level that there is hope for equality. America has a history of inequality and bigotry, sure, but we also have a history of people moving history along past such things, and yesterday Honorable Judge Vaughn Walker joined those people. His ruling, which is honestly one of the better reads of the summer (and I only read about a fifth of the whole document) very clearly asserts several things. First, his ruling upholds the notion that equality is not something we should be putting up for a vote. Equality in general is not a voter initiative idea - it is an ideal. Regardless of race, gender, economic status, sexual orientation, religion, or any other factor that may differentiate us from a larger group, when we stand in front of a judge or in front of a police officer, we expect that we will all be treated equally. This ruling asserts that Judge Walker heard no argument that was convincing enough to abolish that equality at the marriage license clerk's office.

The concept of equality is not new, but the fact that now we should be applying it to more people apparent is. If "marriage" continues to be something recognized by a government, which thereby grants certain legal benefits (e.g. hospital visits, tax breaks, etc) then marriage should be something every single American should be able to get. Throughout this whole debate opponents of gay marriage have brought up the religious interpretation of the word "marriage", and that's something that needs to be said: this debate is not about "religious marriage" - it is about the legal, government-recognized and government-benefited union between two people. In order for equality to be equality, it needs to be applied to everyone, not just to those the majority deems appropriate.

Second, this decision carried a deeper message for the greater queer community. This decision sent a loud and clear message that their relationships are just as valid and that their relationships carry the same intrinsic value as opposite-sex relationships. Through years of anti-gay messaging, it has been my experience that people do not carry the same level of respect for the word "partner" as they do for "husband" or "wife," and what this decision does is tell all those people that in fact there is no difference, that the love in a relationship is not dictated by the genders of the people in it.

Third, this decision was really heartening because it struck down discrimination, and as a "minority" discrimination is an issue. As I said, if people will discriminate against someone because of their sexual orientation, how can I know that it won't be because of their race the next day, or because they have an accent, or are of a certain religion? Discrimination is a disease as far as I'm concerned and to allow any kind of discrimination is a violation of the principle that our nation so often touts: that all men are created equal. If we are to uphold that notion, then we must do all that we can to make sure that every single person in this nation is an equal in the eyes of the law.

Again, this is not about the religious institution. This is about the legal marriage. Yesterday amongst the flurry of joy around this decision there was a lot of hate. Some people see this as an attack on tradition, and some see it as an attack on the will of the people. Appealing to tradition is one of the many techniques employed in arguments, and to that I say, just because we've been doing something in a particular manner for years doesn't mean we've been doing something right. As far as an attack on the will of the people, well, this is called a "minority rights issue" for a reason - this affects the minority, and the implication here is that simply because 52% of Californians have an issue with gay marriage we should embed discrimination into our state constitution. Minority rights would never advance if we waited for the majority to work through its concerns with any particular issue.

I hope that when this reaches the Supreme Court of the United States (and I have no doubt it will) I will see a repeat of yesterday. It is comforting to know that a community that so often has to deal with hatred finally gets a break, even if it's just a small one.

How can I "pull myself up by my bootstraps" if I don't have any bootstraps?

Despite spending two solid years doing nothing but grad school papers and grant proposals, I must admit I really enjoy doing research. I love pawing over breaking news and obscure articles trying to find something new and exciting that I can share with everyone. I have been told that this impedes my efforts to shed my nerdy image.

This morning I was perusing the Associated Press breaking news and I stumbled across this headline:

Minority children have fewer advantages

Seriously? It took a nationwide survey to determine this?

To give you some background, professionals who work with young people were surveyed. The professionals were asked to rate how many advantages were available to the youth clients they served. They asked these professionals about access to quality health care, education, safe homes and neighborhoods, and community support. Not surprisingly, it was found that white youth have more advantages than Latino/Hispanic, Arab American, Native American, African American and Asian American/Pacific Islander youth.

To be completely honest (since reading this on the Internet isn't exactly the same as a face-to-face conversation) I am a white woman. Yesterday at the latest Sonoma County Peer Outreach Coalition meeting, we unexpectedly spent a great deal of time discussing the fact that I happen to be facilitating a group of culturally, ethnically, and socio-economically diverse youth.

Like many other professionals, I strive to be more culturally sensitive. Despite our efforts, I often see many professionals with the attitude that those experiencing tremendous hardship simply need to "work harder" or as I have heard all too frequently "pull themselves up by their bootstraps." Perhaps this survey was needed now more than ever. If I don't have the same opportunities and everyone else, how can I work hard enough to achieve the same outcome? How can I "pull myself up by my bootstraps" if I don't have any bootstraps?

The other interesting fact mentioned in this survey is that children of all ages from low-income families, regardless of race, have less opportunities than those from middle-class to upper-middle class households. Once again, this feels like "Your delivery of obvious has arrived" but I do think it warrants repeating. This is why nonprofits committed to ending the cycle of poverty are more important now than ever.

You may now be feeling I have overstayed my welcome on my soapbox, or have at the very least failed to connect this survey to the mission of the SCPOC: promoting awareness about mental health issues and risks for mental illness. Although not explicitly mentioned in the survey, the lack of opportunities mentioned can all put youth at risk for mental health problems.

The National Center for Children in Poverty reports:

• 21% of low-income children and youth ages 6 through 17 have mental health problems


• 13% of children from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds receive mental health services


• 88% of Latino children have unmet mental health needs


• 85% of children and youth in need of mental health services in the child welfare system do not receive them

According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Youth who have been exposed to violence in their homes and communities, such as witnessing or being the victim of physical or sexual abuse, drive-by shootings, muggings, or other disasters, are at elevated risk for the following mental health disorders:

• depression


• ADD/ADHD


• anxiety


• conduct disorders


• eating disorders
  

It is time for everyone to really consider how poverty impacts youth. It is time to stop assuming that people in low-income households simply need to work harder to have the same opportunities as everyone else. It is time to recognize that lack of quality health care, violence in the home and/or community, and lack of community support can have a devastating outcome on the mental well-being of an entire generation.

I implore you: what can we do about poverty?

Peer Leader Post: M&M's by Marcos Garcilazo

I love M&M’s. When I was little, I used to get a small bag of M&Ms in my lunchbox, along with my CapriSun, baby carrots, and flutternutter sandwich. At lunch, I would open the bag and divide the M&M’s by color and give my best friend all the red, yellow, and green. I would get the brown, blue, and orange M&M’s. Eventually, Mom stopped putting M&M’s bags in my lunchbox and replaced them with chocolate bars. I'm not sure why, but the chocolate bar never tasted as good. To this day, every time I get M&M’s, I still remember sitting on that table diving up M&M’s, thinking them different simply because they looked different.

I no longer divide my M&M’s and refuse the yellow ones, but I will always remember doing it. It's one of those things that you remember at the oddest of times. I remembered it my very first day of high school. I showed up wearing jeans and a black hoodie and tennis shoes, happy to see my friends but scared about the fact that the school population had gone from about two hundred to a thousand. Instantly, I was an M&M, and some big hand was sitting there dividing us up. I went to say “hi” to the other Hispanic students and started catching up, half in English and half in Spanish. I had already been placed within "my group." We have so many ways to divide ourselves - gender, ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation, height, weight, hair color, hometown, language, interests, socioeconomic status, occupation, by association, etc, etc. Those are some of the biggest, but we have so many ways to divide ourselves. On the one hand, it's easier to make friends with people that you share common interests, but on the other hand, if we're divided into groups, there's going to be a lot less people around altogether. Doesn't the saying go "the more, the merrier?"

Once we were all in our groups, it became an "us versus them" field. That division of the student body became the ground from where bullying, teasing, intimidation, and isolation sprung. All of the sudden, people felt it was okay to make fun people outside their group. It was okay to make fun of the kid that was overweight, it was okay to make fun of the (perceived or labeled) “gay” kid, and sometimes, it was okay to do more than just verbally harass them. Because we had divided ourselves, and everyone in the school had something to say about someone, it was easy to justify an "us and them" mentality. That mentality eventually fueled behaviors that are all too common in our schools: bullying, teasing, and harassing.
I'm not proud of the fact that I made "he's a , therefore " statements. I wish I hadn't, but wishing that I hadn't doesn't change the fact that I did. We do to ourselves what I used to do to my M&M’s - divide them up, accept some, and reject others. At the end of the day, when one's at the receiving end of negative treatment, instead of there being a ton of different-colored M&Ms, there may just be one or two, or none at all to offer support and help to make it through that tough time. I'll never know just how many chances to meet new, amazing people I missed because I was so convinced that I was so different. The fact of the matter was, I was just a kid and they were just kids too. We might have looked different, but the bottom line was the same: we're all just people.

I've grown up since freshman year of high school. Today, I look at the people the same way I look at M&M’s - on the outside, we all may look different from each other, but on the inside, I know we're all the same. We're just people. The outside doesn't matter because true friendship has nothing to do with how you look or what you do or where you come from. The outside of the M&M is nothing but a shell, but the true treat is right underneath.

If we spent more time looking at the true nature of people and less on looking for differences, we would have a stronger, better community. We, the youth, hold in our hands the future. We have the chance to slowly start changing our ways, putting us all together instead of splitting us apart. I have that power and know what when I have children, I'll make sure they understand that although the M&M’s might be different colors on the outside, on the inside, they're all wonderful delights.

Growing pains

*Whew!* It's been a crazy couple of weeks! Over here at the POC we have been recruiting, tweeting, training, blogging, Facebook-ing, researching, web-designing and occasionally pausing to drink another 8-cup French press of coffee, all in the name of promoting mental health advocacy and awareness in Sonoma County!

So all run-on sentences aside, there will be a few big changes in the next two weeks! As you may have noticed, our blog just had a major face-lift. There will be more fun-filled action and a lot more friends on the Facebook page, and Twitter should be a bit more tweet-worthy. The biggest changes will be on the website with a new look, and bios and photos of our Peer Leaders. Keep checking back so you don't miss anything new and exciting.
Hang tight for a bit! I promise you won't be disappointed!

Recap: The first two weeks

It’s been an amazing two weeks! We have 41 fans on facebook, 4 followers on Twitter, and we have recruited a fabulous team of Peer Leaders.

Our Peer Leaders start meeting next week and the Sonoma County Peer Outreach Coalition will begin our campaign June 10! Thanks to everyone for your continued support.

Best,
Shana Friedman, Mental Health Program Specialist