Childhood homelessness is prevalent in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, and, without intervention, can lead to a lifetime of adverse health outcomes. As a member of the FIU chapter of GlobeMed, I partnered with grassroots organization EDELAC to support community-driven solutions to health inequity and lead efforts to provide shelter, education, and healthcare to the vulnerable children of Guatemala. Living on the streets with no support systems creates a cycle of disadvantage for these children where impoverished status leads to poor health. Working alongside the community leaders in EDELAC and in GlobeMed, the organization that introduced me to this global learning journey, shaped my current and future path in community partnership and advocacy. These experiences helped me define my role promoting health as a human right, as one that requires actively shifting power to community, supporting them as they break this cycle.
The experiential learning that GlobeMed provided, was supplemented by my studies in the classroom. One of the most impactful global learning courses I took was an anthropology course on rituals and spirituality. This class teaches a holistic approach. This approach teaches that all aspects of humanity are intimately connected, such that they cannot truly be understood independently of the whole. Attending the Tuesday Times Roundtables affirmed this. Whether the topic was criminal justice, sustainability, or immigration, the complexity and interconnectedness was evident.
This concept has been a significant factor in my motivation for pursuing a career in medicine. I believe that there is an urgent need for physicians with a holistic understanding of the complex interplay of healthcare, disease, and society. As such, I aim to ground my future medical career in an understanding of the multifaceted and unique cultural and societal circumstances that influence the health of each of my patients. In viewing the cyclical nature of sickness and poverty in the homeless children of Guatemala, I recognized the critical role that society plays. These social systems are made up of people and can, therefore, be influenced by people, including myself. From here, my journey into holistically advocating for health equity has blossomed.
People should feel empowered to use their voices, and we should feel motivated to listen to them.
Across the globe, marginalized individuals and communities are excluded from the decision making that controls their health and well-being. The goal of advocacy, as I have learned and practiced it throughout this program, is partnership with and the transfer of power to these marginalized populations. The goal is less about getting people to listen to you, and more about amplifying the voices of others. People should feel empowered to use their voices, and we should feel motivated to listen to them. Stepping into the world of medicine, I will be perfectly poised to utilize the skills I have gained throughout the GLM experience. As the GLM experience has provide partnership and support to me over the last three years, I hope to provide support and partnership as a healthcare provider. By sharing power with my patients and community, I hope to be both an ally and advocate for creating health equity here and around the globe.