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This fall, I have been working as a Community Fellow with Greater Health Now (GHN), an organization dedicated to improving health equity by expanding access to care and strengthening community-based partnerships in Walla Walla. The overall goal of my fellowship is to support community health initiatives that reduce barriers to care, especially for underserved and immigrant populations, by helping plan, coordinate, and reflect on outreach efforts that directly serve community needs.

A large part of my day-to-day work involves supporting community events, helping with outreach, and observing how partnerships between organizations come together in practice. One of the most impactful experiences I have had so far was attending a free vision clinic held at Pioneer United Methodist Church, organized through Greater Health Now in collaboration with the Promotoras Network, Walla Walla Immigrant Rights Coalition, and local medical volunteers. The clinic was led by Dr. Ogden and took place over two days in October. During the event, more than 60 patients received eye exams, and many were able to receive prescription glasses at no cost, something that can have a huge impact on quality of life and day-to-day functioning. At the clinic, I observed how important coordination and trust are in community health work. Volunteers helped with check-in, translation, and patient flow, while Dr. Ogden provided exams and prescriptions. The environment was welcoming and intentionally set up to make patients feel comfortable, which stood out to me as just as important as the medical care itself. This was a clinic intended for those who didn't have healthcare and might not ever otherwise receive eye care for the sole reason that out of pocket expenses are too high. Seeing that need met firsthand made the goals of the fellowship feel very tangible.

The work I am doing is valuable to GHN because it supports their broader mission of building sustainable partnerships that bring health services directly into the community. Events like the vision clinic require volunteers, and physical spaces to help ensure that these efforts run smoothly and are documented for future planning. By participating in and reflecting on these events, I am also helping GHN think about how to improve outreach and continue meeting unmet health needs.

My coursework at Whitman, especially in sociology and economics, has helped me understand how structural factors influence health outcomes. Concepts like inequality, access to resources, and community trust directly apply to what I see in the field. Through this fellowship, I am also learning more about the Walla Walla community and the strength of local organizations that come together to support one another.

Looking ahead, this fellowship has influenced how I think about my future. It has shown me the importance of community-based approaches to health and reinforced my interest in working at the intersection of economics, policy, and community engagement. Overall, this experience has changed how I understand service not as a top-down solution, but as a collaborative process rooted in listening, trust, and shared goals.