Medicine to the People: Stories from Community Health Projects

The Bay Area is blessed to have some amazing and inspiring community health projects that bring healing and medicine to the people. These projects save lives, increase access and sustain communities in struggle.

Come for an evening celebrating healers building projects to reclaim medicine in different communities and hear their stories!

Donations will be accepted for Sharena of People's Community Medics in a effort to get her a van so she can continue her work


Speakers:

Sharena Thomas- People’s Community Medics

http://www.peoplescommunitymedics.org/

Sharena is a long-time organizer, warrior and single mother of 4 who has co-founded People's Community Medics. She is co-founded People's Community Medics. She is the daughter of parents who she frequently stopped with as a child to respond to community emergencies. She has worked within her community of various projects including community cleanups and anti-police brutality efforts fighting for justice for families of victims in her community as well as family members.

The People’s Community Medics (PCM) was founded in the summer of 2011 by Sharena Thomas and Lesley Phillips. As members of the Oscar Grant Committee we learned that the BART police refused to call an ambulance for 20 minutes for fatally wounded Oscar Grant, despite the passionate pleas for medical help from his friends who were detained at the Fruitvale station by the police. That experience as well as our knowledge that 911 calls often do not result in an ambulance arriving in a timely manner to Black, Brown and poor neighborhoods largely inspired us to teach our people basic emergency first aid so that we can help one another until an ambulance arrives.

Michelle Steinberg- Consultas Naturistas Program at Street Level Health Project

http://www.streetlevelhealth.org/

Michelle started Consultas Naturistas, the nutrition and herbal medicine clinic at Street Level Health Project, in 2009 to provide free, Spanish/English bilingual, integrative health care to low-income individuals in East Oakland. Hundreds of clients have received holistic care and medicine through the program. Visits last approximately 30-60 minutes per person and involve a client-centered discussion of health history and lifestyle, focused on nutrition, exercise, and sleep habits. Clients receive free custom blended tinctures and teas, as well as vitamins and supplements.

Street Level Health Project, which houses the program, is a multi-purpose organization focused on both health care navigation and worker empowerment. In addition to Consultas Naturistas, there is a doctor on-site three days/week to provide basic medical treatment, while health navigators direct clients to outside service providers for on-going or specialized care. Other core programs include mental health services, exercise/yoga classes, free lunches and food bags, and a workers’ collective.

Orlando- HEPPAC, Berkeley Free Clinic, Oasis

http://www.casasegura.org/

http://www.berkeleyfreeclinic.org/

Orlando a community advocate at HEPPAC and BFC and a senior peer educator at Oasis Clinic. He will talk about his experiences in approaching hep c, hiv and other health related concerns, primarily among former and current consumers of substance. It's all in the approach.

Laura--Berkeley Free Clinic

Laura will speak on her experience at the Berkeley Free Clinic and some of its roles in the Berkeley and nearby communities. She will discuss pitfalls of liberal healthcare mindsets, and ask questions of fellow revolutionary healers about maintaining political integrity and expanding the scope of practice of community health projects.