Stanford Community

The Office of Community Engagement and St. Francis High School recently collaborated on a project involving health inequity. The project started when a group at St. Francis heard about George Floyd’s murder, and they wanted to help fight against injustice. At the time, the Stanford Community Engagement Office was looking for a project involving students. 

Faculty Director Dr. Lisa Coleman’s stepdaughter was a part of the group of students who wanted to make a change. They decided to make a video about health inequity amongst minorities. 

They planned to release the video on the Community Engagements home page. Research and community partnership coordinator, Olivia Tigre, wanted to shine a light on people that don’t feel like they are heard in their community. 

“Our group doesn’t just go into meeting assuming what we think our community needs, rather we try and learn from them what they want, and we can work together to solve problems,” Tigre said.

The Office of Community Engagements is always looking for new opportunities to work with students, whether through internships, their youth program, or reaching out to schools for new ideas. A few years ago, a student made a “Wall of Learning” that hung in the San Mateo pediatric waiting room. This wall showed parents what they could do to help their children, such as taking them to the doctor to check up on diseases they may be more prone to, like diabetes. 

“Students who want to help can also sign up for things like food banks, and it is always important for humans to relate to others even if it is on a level they didn’t know they share,” Tigre said.

Students interested in learning about helping their communities can provide the Stanford Community Engagement Office with new ideas.

“It is important that everyone can put a face to health inequity and see the struggle others go through, so it’s no longer just a term,” Tigre said.