hsk-news, media, newsletters, Posts, stories August 27, 2024 0

Fostering Active Living: Promising Practices Summit

The Fostering Active Living: Promising Practices Summit will be held this Thursday– the community is invited and it’s a free event. Building Healthy Communities has been invited to present on the work we do. Please join us if you can make it. Registration is required, here is the link: https://form.jotform.com/241587781235161

The Promising Practices Summit will be held in Bakersfield, CA, and will concentrate on successful initiatives and practical tips for implementing physical activity programs in your community. The Summit will also offer an opportunity to explore methods for guaranteeing that programs and initiatives are accessible, inclusive, and equitable for all members of the community.

Participants will:

  • Gain insights from peers who have successfully implemented physical activity strategies in their counties.
  • Connect with other professionals engaged in similar work within the field and participate in active listening and engagement to foster a collaborative and supportive environment.
  • Engage in interactive activities with other participants, including group discussions and individual reflection, to deepen your understanding and develop new skills.

This is an inclusive event open to all who implement a physical activity, nutrition, or food security program, including:

  • Community-based organizations
  • Community health leaders
  • Funded or non-funded CalFresh Healthy Living partners
  • Local health department staff or subcontractors
  • Preschool or K-12 administrators
  • Educators

Please share this opportunity with colleagues and community partners who could benefit from attending. The event will be hosted at Beale Memorial Library.

Building Healthy Communities Kern is hiring a program coordinator
hsk-news, newsletters, Posts, stories March 21, 2023 0

Building Healthy Communities Kern is hiring a program coordinator

The Position: Program Coordinator

Location: Kern

Job Summary

The Program Coordinator will report directly to the President/CEO while working closely on projects and activities related to event planning, community outreach, database management, and social media as needed.  This position will conduct community outreach, plan and execute community meetings and support with overall grant deliverables. 

About Building Healthy Communities:

We are a nonprofit organization working to advance health and racial equity in Kern through collaborative partnerships with community based organizations, community groups, residents, youth, health agencies, education institutions and other community partners.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities 

  • Implement and coordinate frequent communications with community partners, residents and youth, and promotion of the Building Healthy Communities work

  • Attend and support with executingBHC related meetings including monthly staff meetings, where the program coordinator will play a key role in planning and identifying opportunities that will work towards the goal of advancing health and racial equity in Kern

  • Create flyers for special projects

  • Coordinate support for translation of materials

  • Conduct community outreach 

  • Attend and support with coordinating and executing BHC events 

  • Assists with compiling data for activity reporting, grant tracking progress, and grant reporting

  • Track BHC events and collect staff event report forms, photos, videos, PowerPoint presentations, action plans, applications, surveys, and files materials as appropriate

  • Maintain positive engagement with partners, residents, and youth using whole-person and growth-mindset approaches

  • Supports BHC-wide events as needed

  • Other tasks as assigned

Knowledge Skills & Abilities

  • Proficient in Microsoft Applications

  • Excellent writing skills with a focus on promotion, media 

  • Proficient knowledge and experience with social media platforms

  • Experience in web design and content production

  • Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and as part of a team

  • Organizational, project planning, and leadership skills

  • Exceptional interpersonal skills: ability to interact and work effectively with staff members, community leaders, board members, donors, and volunteers

  • Self-motivated, resourceful, and creative

  • Strong problem-solving skills

Required Qualifications

  • Must pass background check

  • Written and spoken proficiency in Spanish & English is a plus

  • Reliable transportation, driver’s license, and auto insurance  

  • Available to work evenings and weekends

Education & Experience

  • Associate of Arts Degree preferred from an accredited college

  • Equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate

  • 2+ Years’ experience in a community outreach role preferred

  • Social justice advocacy experience preferred

  • Experience and passion for community organizing

  • Administrative Experience

Please send resume and cover letter to  info@healthysouthkern.org. 

Making South Kern Beautiful!
hsk-news, Posts, stories June 23, 2018 0

Making South Kern Beautiful!

On Saturday May 12, Greenfield residents celebrated murals that were added to the community building in Rexland Acres Park over the past year. Responding to a call from the Arts Council of Kern in August 2017, community members were asked for input on mural content. Following many months of work by artists Carlos De Guzman, Jorge Guillen, and Garrett Memering, community members’ concepts were unveiled in completion.

Support Our Students!
hsk-news, Posts, stories June 23, 2018 0

Support Our Students!

Building Healthy Communities South Kern’s Education Justice Collaborative launched a media campaign to inform parents how the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) impacts their children. The campaign encourages parents to be familiar with their district’s Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) and provide feedback about the plan, which outlines how dollars will be used to student outcomes, to their school district. Look for our ads on billboards, local buses, and digital signs!

Congratulations to California Walks and Kern Youth
hsk-news, Posts, stories June 23, 2018 0

Congratulations to California Walks and Kern Youth

Yesenia Ocampo from California Walks, along with youth from South Kern, were selected to present at this year’s American Public Health Association’s (APHA) annual conference. Their presentation “Youth Voices for a Healthy, Safe, & Active California” fits squarely with APHA’s conference theme this year: Creating the Healthiest Nation: Health Equity Now”. They will be sharing local work at an event with more than 12,000 attendees! Congratulations!

hsk-news, stories June 23, 2018 0

Arvin Stands Up for Families

Joining over 21 localities across California, the City of Arvin signed-on to an amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) brief that was filed on Friday May 18, 2018 urging the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California to uphold Senate Bill 54, the California Values Act, and two related State laws against an attack by the federal government.
At its May 15, 2018 meeting, the Arvin City Council authorized Mayor Jose Gurrola and the City Attorney to sign-on to the brief, which was co-authored by the Santa Clara County Counsel’s Office, the City of Oakland, and the County of Los Angeles.
Speaking on SB 54’s impact on Arvin’s public safety, Mayor Gurrola said, “President Trump and Attorney General Sessions’ anti-immigrant policies and attacks on SB 54 further undermines the public’s trust in our criminal justice system and makes law enforcement’s job more difficult. I’m proud to join leaders from across the state to stand up for our values and public safety against the ill-advised attacks from President Trump.”
“The people in our city, our state, and the entire country deserve to feel safe regardless of their immigration or citizenship status. Ensuring that everyone feels safe and comfortable enough to reach out to law enforcement when they need help is essential to public safety everywhere. If our national government refuses to see the importance in this, it is up to the rest of us to do what we can to make it happen,” said Arvin City Councilmember Jazmin Robles.
Other geographies signing the brief included: City of Albany, City of Berkeley, City of Culver City, City of Davis, City of East Palo Alto, County of Marin, County of Monterey, City of Morgan Hill, City of Mountain View, City of Palm Springs, City of Richmond, City of Sacramento, City of San Diego, City of San José, City of Santa Ana, County of Santa Cruz, City of Santa Monica, County of Sonoma, City of Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, and City of West Hollywood.
Marching Toward Safe Drinking Water
hsk-news, stories June 23, 2018 0

Marching Toward Safe Drinking Water

An estimated 1 million Californians drink unsafe water at home, school, or in public places. Californians deserve water that is safe to drink, free from toxins. Kern County residents have joined forces with other Californians across the State to reach that goal. On May 11, the Dolores Huerta Foundation hosted an event in downtown Bakersfield in support of Governor Brown’s Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund. And last week more than 100 San Joaquin Valley residents meet with Sacramento legislators to share their stories about how unsafe drinking water impacts their families and their communities.
Governor Brown has asked the State legislature to enact a statewide tax on drinking water to treat unsafe wells and treatment systems. The proposed tax is expected to be voted on this summer and requires a two-thirds majority to pass. The projected cost per person would be $11.40 each year.
Census 2020: Everyone Counts!
hsk-news, stories June 23, 2018 0

Census 2020: Everyone Counts!

On Wednesday May 9th, the US Census Bureau and California Complete Count staff hosted a Regional Readiness Assessment Convening at the Beale Library. Rolling out the timeline for the 2020 census, the speakers shared changes in the administration of the census, the need for local organizations and individuals to collaborate to ensure hard to reach populations are counted, and employment opportunities for local residents.
At this point, the focus is on outreach to hard to reach populations, starting with assembling a diverse network of local organizations that will work together with their respective constituencies to get the word out that every Californian needs to be counted. Without an accurate count, California and Kern County will not receive adequate funding for public services such as schools, health care, and infrastructure. Even our voice at the national level is impacted because the Census count determines how many Representatives California has in Congress. In addition, many Census-related job opportunities will be available for Kern residents over the next two years; ranging from management positions to door-to-door neighborhood canvasing teams. For the first time, an electronic version of the census will be available, allowing individuals to complete the information on-line. Stay tuned as we near 2020!
A Forgotten History: Why Doesn’t my School Place a Great Emphasis on Black History Month?
hsk-news, stories April 13, 2018 0

A Forgotten History: Why Doesn’t my School Place a Great Emphasis on Black History Month?

By Ja’Nell Gore, South Kern Sol

Every year, some local high schools have assemblies recognizing Cinco de Mayo – a holiday largely ignored in Mexico, but held up in America as a day to celebrate Mexican culture with piñatas, tacos and a lot of alcohol. Meanwhile, throughout the whole month of February, my high school has done nothing to commemorate Black History Month.

Schools should be doing something to show appreciation, or even just acknowledge the evolution of black history – but at Bakersfield High School, nothing like that happened last month.

I would have loved to attend an assembly where they focused on my culture and history, opening the eyes of kids who know little about it.

And this desire of mine isn’t uncalled for, especially in a district that has acknowledged it engaged in a years-long practice of disproportionately suspending and expelling minority students, including African Americans. The district was sued, settling the lawsuit last year for more than $670,000. Among the settlement terms? The district must recognize Black History Month and allow students to celebrate.

Instead of taking initiative and organizing such a celebration, they are leaving it up to students. Considering that most students have never planned a school event (or don’t even know they have the option) why would they ‘leave it to the kids’?

We are Proud to Launch Our New Webcast Series: ‘In The 661″
hsk-news, stories April 13, 2018 0

We are Proud to Launch Our New Webcast Series: ‘In The 661″

Building Healthy Communities Kern in partnership with South Kern Sol youth media, have launched a new youth-produced webcast. “In the 661” will present stories, current events and good work happening in the community- all through a lens of health and racial equity.The show not only gives youth the opportunity to learn about what it takes to produce a video segment, but it also gives young journalists the opportunity to lift up issues that matter to them and might otherwise go untold.

There’s a lot of good work happening across the community, but rarely do organizations or residents who are working to improve community health have the opportunity to amplify their voice via mainstream media.

This show gives residents and organizations the opportunity to examine health in interesting and innovative ways. Health doesn’t only happen in a doctor’s office. Health happens where we work live and play. Health happens when people tap into their power, work together and change the odds in their neighborhoods.

The show will be aired weekly on “In the 661’s” Facebook page and will be shared widely on Building Healthy Communities Kern’s website and social media platforms.

The new show is produced by South Kern Sol youth reporters, Alejandra Alberto, Dean Welliver, Marilu Cisneros, and Veronica Morley and hosted by former KGET news anchor, Kiyoshi Tomono.