1. Community Partnership for Health and Equity (CPHE): University-Community collaborations to advance student leadership and participation in sustainability research Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education October 28, 2014

2. Research Collaborators: PSU School of Social Work: Dr. Eileen Brennan Karen Cellarius Ryan Bender, MSW Dana Peters PSU Child and Family Studies: Dr. Jana L. Meinhold Brianne Bragg Portland Community Partner: LeRoy Patton Gabriela Ordonez, MSW Katie Schultze Virginia Garcia Wellness Center: Ivy Wagner, MSW Ignolia Duyck Elia Ortiz Sandy Rodriguez PSU School of Education: Marion Sharp PSU Department of Sociology: Summer Newel Dr. Veronica Dujon Multnomah County Community Capacitation Center: Noelle Wiggins, PhD Arika Bridgeman-Bunyoli Rujuta Gaonkar

3. This presentation and the research study is supported by a grant from the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation through the PSU Institute for Sustainable Solutions

4. Our Objectives Link health equity and social sustainability Discuss student-led research project and contributions from faculty and students Introduce Virginia Garcia Wellness Center’s health promotion approach Report results of our exploratory study and the progression of the CPHE and Virginia Garcia as partners

5. Social Sustainability Defined Refers to both the processes that create, and the institutions that facilitate, social health and wellbeing now and in the future Recognizing that political and economic factors and arrangements will affect environmental sustainability, and all three influence social sustainability Thus providing a macro lens to view social interactions as intertwined, not operating separately (Dillard, Dujon, & King, 2008)

6. Social Sustainability Development Compatible with the harmonious evolution of civil society, fostering an environment conducive to compatible cohabitation of culturally and socially diverse groups While at the same time encouraging social integration, With improvements in the quality of life for all segments of the population. (Polese & Stren (2000) The Social Sustainability of Cities: Diversity and the Management of Change)

7. Development of CPHE History of Community Partnership for Healthy & Equity Collaboration addressing health inequities in and around Portland, with the goal of facilitating effective and sustainable community lead solutions The CPHE focuses on the inequities created by the unequal exposure to stressors in the built and natural environment Leaning on the strengths of the collaborative the CPHE is able to develop appropriate service plans and effective research w/ community groups Taking a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach

8. Solutions Generator Program The Purpose: To fund and inspire interdisciplinary teams of student leaders who gain sustainability leadership skills through project-based learning Priorities given to projects addressing social, economic, and environmental outcomes and practices Our Outcome: Exploratory research opportunity to align a larger project with community partner organizations and community members to address an identified community health concern

9. Research Mentoring Relationship Mentee Perspective Develop strong relationships with faculty members where multiple perspectives are honored and encouraged Participate in guided research leadership roles:  Grant Application (project manager, assessment, fiscal roles)  Institute Review Board Application  Formulate Research Guidelines and Tools  Facilitate Focus Groups  Analyze Data  Present Research Project  Write Research Reports to funding agency (weekly updates and final report) Student Team Work facilitates long term collegial relationships

10. Virginia Garcia Wellness Center and Community Capacitation Center

11. Virginia Garcia Wellness Center Soon after 1979 October 2012

12. Research Context: Cornelius, OR A small rural community located within the Portland metropolitan area. Of 11,869 residents, 50.1% were Hispanic/Latino, 44.4% were non-Latino Whites, 2.2% were Asian, and 4.0% were of other racial/ethnic groups or multiracial (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012). 48.2% speak a language other than English at home, 26.0% are foreign-born, and 16.9% live below the poverty level.

13. Solutions Generator Project Methods Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) & Popular Education utilized to facilitate and gather information during three bilingual focus groups—90 minutes each Purpose Gather community input in shaping Virginia Garcia’s community gardening program Identify community priorities for the use of community gardens Explore community’s relationship with Community Health Workers

14. Solution Generator Project Community Participants 20 community members (Latino/a n=18 and Caucasian n=2) Identified Spanish as their home language (90%) and Mexico as their country of origin (90%) Lived in Cornelius community for a minimum of five years or more (90%) Age ranged from 29 to 61 years old, with a majority falling between 31 and 38 years (32%)

15. Solution Generator Themes Community’s Definition of Health and Wellness Community’s Connection to Community Gardening & Health Cultural Tensions of Community Gardening Structure Connection to Community Health Workers

16. Health and Wellness Defined as something that feels good to one’s entire body including the mind and spirit Achieved through exercise, eating healthy foods, and spending time with one’s family and/or being a part of a community Specific conditions such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, loss of vision Importance of parents being role models for their children by accessing, motivating, and eating/cooking healthy foods and engaging in healthy activities.

17. Community Gardening and Health A way to access foods they enjoyed, especially organic and fresh foods, save money, and build community connections Definition of “organic:” produce is more natural, doesn‘t contain chemicals, and one knows where it was planted or the process from seed to cultivation A working-hobby that provides an opportunity for relaxation and distraction building positive family and community networks support children’s educational attainment and healthy eating habits

18. Community Gardening and Health Some Participants abandoned community gardening when they relocated to the US from Mexico, Indigenous communities and Central America  culturally and socially expectation that whole families and communities participated in gardening together  cost of individual plots and change in climate Participants infused cultural norms into US gardening structure  Collaborating with others to pay gardening fee  Sharing space with those who have access to land within apartment complexes or backyards Participants grew plants in home countries for enjoyment and food consumption in addition to medicinal purposes Desire to know the types of plants to grow or how to prepare the soil in Cornelius, OR

19. Community Health Workers 25% of participants knew or had heard of a CHW and these community members who knew about the CHWs reported connecting with a worker only once per year  Participants had experiences with CHW’s CHW’s at Adelante Mujeres (N=4) Role as a CHW at church (N=1) Topics CHWs could teach or organize:  Types of plants or vegetables to grow under local conditions  Eating healthier; buying foods not available in garden  Where/how to buy foods that weren’t available in the garden; couponing to support their financial resources  Cooking Classes  utilized foods from the community gardens  cook cross-cultural foods  Sharing each other’s culture within the community

20. Exploring Health and Wellness through Community Gardening using Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) infused with Popular Education Methodology To use focus groups to identify community priorities for the use of community gardens To use popular education to identify community priorities to address social and health disparities To empower community members and build local leadership to promote healthy behavior Focus Group Themes 3 Focus Groups – 20 participants Project Objective Ryan Bender, SSW Graduate Student Brianna C. Bragg, CFS/SS Student (SSW) Eileen Brennan, PSU, Social Work Arika Bridgeman-Bunyoli, Multnomah County Health Dept. Karen Cellarius, Regional Research Institute Veronica Dujon, PSU, Sociology Ignolia Dyuck, Virginia Garcia Wellness Clinics Making Cities Livable Conference - May 2012 LeRoy Patton, Social Sustainability Advisor Dana Peters, SSW Graduate Student Laurie Powers, PSU, Social Work Sandy Rodriguez, OSU Intern Virginia Garcia Wellness Center Marion Sharp, PSU, Continuing Education Ivy Wagner, Virginia Garcia Wellness Center Noelle Wiggins, Multnomah County Health Dept Rujuta Gaonkar, Community Capacitation Center Ginny Garcia-Alexander, PSU, Sociology Carlos Lopez, Centro Cultural of Washington County Jana Meinhold, PSU, Child & Family Studies (SSW) Gill Munoz, Virginia Garcia Wellness Clinics Summer Newell, Sociology Graduate Student Elia Ortiz, Virginia Garcia Wellness Center This Research has been supported by grants from the Institute for Sustainable Solutions, PSU Solutions Generator - Community Partners Guiding Principles Used: Opportunities to connect our personal experiences to national and global realities. Opportunities to reflect on our personal experiences and identify community problems. Feelings and Emotions are an important part of learning. We learn with head, heart, and body. We learn more when we are having fun! People should be active participants (not passive recipients) in their own learning process. We all know a lot, we should always start with what people know and do. It is important to create an atmosphere of trust so people can share their ideas and experiences. Popular Education Method About Wellness Nothing Hurting Exercising/Walking Sleeping Better Eating Healthy as a Family Good Nutrition Limited/No Junk Food, Salt, and Sugar Be Active as a Family Be Healthy as an Individual Eat Less Have Clean Toys Be Around Family Eating Meals with Your Family Play and Engage with Your Kids Model Healthy Behaviors Access to Organic Foods Community Gardens Connection to Food/Healthy Eating Community gardens are important Community Engagement Accessibility to Cultural Foods Organic and Fresh Vegetables Impacts Health and Budget Kids Learning About Gardening – Cultivating, Caring, & Identifying Plants Hobby Relaxation Distraction Children’s Happiness Modeling Physical Health Hard Work/Physically Demanding Desire Community Chicken Farm Desired Roles/Class Topics for Community Health Workers Gardening Practices/Types of plants or vegetables Provide Health Education Healthy Food Portions Appropriate Amounts of Fat and Salt Intake Healthy/Unhealthy Fats Couponing Canning Food Healthy Cooking Emphasis on Cross-Cultural Experiences Classes for Kids, Adolescents and Family Exercise/Fitness Evening Classes (accommodating work) Community Building Methods Used: Ground Rules/Group Agreements Dinamicas (Purposeful Games) Brainstorm Problem Posing Group Evaluations Cooperative Learning Indicators of CBPR Measured Indicators: The group agreed upon how to show respect for each other and the list was visible for the entire meeting. I felt my ideas were respected by focus group members and the facilitators. I learned something about the other members in the group. Group members and the facilitators respected each other’s ideas in the meeting. I thought the majority of group members participated in the meeting. Facilitators addressed group members in a respectful manner. Group members took turns speaking. I felt comfortable asking questions during the meeting. I learned something about my community from the meeting. Group members’ ideas inspired others’ ideas and comments. The group is willing to examine issues raised by members. Concerns Overweight/Obesity School Lunches Motivation Kid-Friendly Healthy Foods Food Choices Disease Prevention TV/Video Games Money/Childcare Diabetes Schedules 25% of Individuals had knowledge of Community Health Workers and had approximately one contact per year Solutions Generator Student Collaborators: Ryan Bender, Brianna C Bragg, Summer Newell, Dana Peters

21. Next Steps Ongoing Senior and Tenure Faculty mentoring to expand research portfolio Ongoing and increasing Graduate Student involvement in research phases and presentations Increase involvement of community members and partners in the research process Increased academic partners to expand expertise on diabetes care Develop diabetes management within the family context intervention which is based upon community priorities Apply for federal funding to implement and evaluate pilot intervention