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Jacquelyn S. Favours Claudia Barajas, and Luis Sura welcome attendees to Fe Y Salud – Building Strong Families.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. On the evening of August 29, 2019, the Faith & Health Collaborative partnered with the Vanderbilt- Ingram Cancer Center, Conexión Américas and Better Options TN to host Fe Y Salud – Building Strong Families.
As a followup to feedback collected at previous Fe Y Salud events, organizers designed an event that would address challenges faced by Latino faith leaders when addressing the health of their congregations and local communities. More specifically, the event aimed to equip parents and faith leaders with strategies to facilitate positive youth development and families. In addition, the entire event was conducted in Spanish.
Presented by Conexión Américas, the strategies shared focused on visioning a positive future for youth, raising awareness of natural stress responses, parenting styles, deep listening and managing emotions.
Prior to dismissal, attendees were allowed to share related resources and upcoming events. Announcements shared included the resources offered by Better Options and others.
Overall, the night was met by many as being a fun and informative time of self-reflection that hopefully equipped them with some new tools to build a strong family. The next event the Faith & Health Collaborative is planning will be held in November, with a focus on resources available to support Faith Leaders as address substance abuse and mental health concerns with congregants and community members.
About the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance
Founded in 1999, the Alliance bridges the institutions of Meharry Medical College and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Its mission is to enrich learning and advance clinical research in three primary areas -- community engagement, interprofessional education and research -- by developing and supporting mutually beneficial partnerships between Meharry Medical College, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the communities they serve. Through community engagement, the Alliance serves a large community of stakeholders including surrounding universities and colleges, community organizations, faith-based outlets and community health centers. Its interprofessional education enhances students' interdisciplinary understanding and improves patient outcomes through integrated care. The research conducted provides access to experienced grant writers and materials supporting the grant application process and facilitates grant-writing workshops.