It was a great honor to be part of the sixth annual "Leaving a Legacy" event by the Josiah Hill III Clinic, a community-powered organization focused on helping families identify ways to improve home air quality conditions and reduce the effects of childhood asthma.
The event brought together a diverse group of community leaders who are intent on continuing the important work of home health awareness in communities throughout Portland. Josiah Hill III Clinic relies on many volunteers to deliver culturally appropriate services to communities across the Portland Metro area.
In her keynote address, Willamette University Professor Robin Morris Collin discussed the importance of community vigilance and advocacy in ensuring that communities of color are well-served by sustainability and "greening" efforts of homes and neighborhoods. It was also interesting to learn about the community advocacy and activism that fueled the work in its early days. Here are some excerpts from the Josiah Hill III Clinic's "History:"
In 1997 the Urban League of Portland issued a report demonstrating
the magnitude and complexity of childhood lead poisoning among minority
populations in our community. Later that year in December, The Oregon
Health Division released data stating that approximately 4% of Oregon
children tested showed elevated blood lead levels, echoing
nationally-based studies from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
As a board member of the Oregon chapter Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR), Josiah Hill met Dr. Richard Bayer in 1997. They joined forces on the lead issue. With the primary goal of decreasing the risk of childhood lead poisoning, Josiah created an alliance between PSR and the Coalition of Black Men (COBM).
By 1998, and Dr. Bayer hit their stride when the volunteer testing program began working with SKIP (Screen Kids, Inform Parents). Children in high-risk populations were screened for early diagnosis and treatment for a range of health issues. Josiah Hill’s conviction and gentle manner broadened the coalition further to include PSR, COBM, Common Bond, Volunteers of America, Multnomah County Health Department and the Oregon Health Division. He orchestrated the opening of a volunteer-staffed free lead-testing clinic.
Learn more about Josiah Hill III Clinic, and consider getting involved in projects that focus on environmental justice. Visit http://www.jhillclinic.org.
The event brought together a diverse group of community leaders who are intent on continuing the important work of home health awareness in communities throughout Portland. Josiah Hill III Clinic relies on many volunteers to deliver culturally appropriate services to communities across the Portland Metro area.
In her keynote address, Willamette University Professor Robin Morris Collin discussed the importance of community vigilance and advocacy in ensuring that communities of color are well-served by sustainability and "greening" efforts of homes and neighborhoods. It was also interesting to learn about the community advocacy and activism that fueled the work in its early days. Here are some excerpts from the Josiah Hill III Clinic's "History:"
In 1997 the Urban League of Portland issued a report demonstrating
the magnitude and complexity of childhood lead poisoning among minority
populations in our community. Later that year in December, The Oregon
Health Division released data stating that approximately 4% of Oregon
children tested showed elevated blood lead levels, echoing
nationally-based studies from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.As a board member of the Oregon chapter Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR), Josiah Hill met Dr. Richard Bayer in 1997. They joined forces on the lead issue. With the primary goal of decreasing the risk of childhood lead poisoning, Josiah created an alliance between PSR and the Coalition of Black Men (COBM).
By 1998, and Dr. Bayer hit their stride when the volunteer testing program began working with SKIP (Screen Kids, Inform Parents). Children in high-risk populations were screened for early diagnosis and treatment for a range of health issues. Josiah Hill’s conviction and gentle manner broadened the coalition further to include PSR, COBM, Common Bond, Volunteers of America, Multnomah County Health Department and the Oregon Health Division. He orchestrated the opening of a volunteer-staffed free lead-testing clinic.
Learn more about Josiah Hill III Clinic, and consider getting involved in projects that focus on environmental justice. Visit http://www.jhillclinic.org.