Our project will engage with the local community to improve the health of Latino men who have sex with men (MSM). We will adapt an existing internet and mobile phone based intervention to help reduce this particular group's sexual risk behaviors while promoting health and wellness. We're working with community partner organization El Centro Hispano.
Published February 11, 2014, last updated on October 5, 2017 under Voices of DGHI
By McCall Wells
Freshman, Student in 2013-14 Bass Connections in Global Health project: Juntos - A Digital Intervention
So, what are you studying? While my answer to this all-important question varies each time depending on both the day and the audience, I usually come up with something along these lines: Global Health and Spanish with a specific focus on minority communities, as I possibly – my hesitation contingent upon my ability to pass Chemistry 101 – pursue a pre-med track. In consideration of this rather lengthy list of academic goals, you can imagine my excitement at the end of the previous semester when I not only had the opportunity to enroll in Health, Culture, and the Latino Community and Clinical Health Issues in the LGBTQ Community, but to interview for a position on the Juntos team. While my workload this semester is nothing short of heavy, I can confidently say that the weight is well worth it as both my intellectual and cultural thirsts are quenched on a consistent basis. I must make a small confession, however. My involvement with Juntos isn’t quite what I had expected; rather, it is so much more.
I can still recall quite vividly that brisk evening in early January in which I walked eagerly, yet quite self-consciously into our first meeting room. Despite the excitement that pulsed through my veins and the innumerable ideas that swam through my mind, I simply couldn’t stop the butterflies that obnoxiously kept ramming into the lining of my poor stomach. What if my teammates were vastly more experienced in research than I? What if they asked me to test my Spanish skills right off the bat? How could I prove that I was just as well qualified despite my severely limited experience? Had I gotten myself into something that I couldn’t handle? Admittedly, these were just a few of the questions that raced through my mind as I stepped across the threshold. However, more embarrassing than my sudden lack of confidence was the almost instantaneous realization at my own ridiculousness. As I introduced myself to each and every one of my future cohorts – a nursing student, a medical student, a well-traveled public policy expert, and even a fellow undecided freshman just to name a few – my momentary intimidation transformed into inspiration. Ready or not, I made the decision to stop skirting around the water’s edge and dive right in!
And dive right in we certainly did. Within a very brief period of time, I found myself immersed in techy terms, cultural nuances, interview faux pas, and full research responsibility. In only a couple weeks time, it has become quite obvious that I will be properly equipped with the skills to work cohesively alongside Durham’s MSM population and gain the insight necessary to best address the health concerns of this community through a digital platform. A month prior, I would have scoffed at anyone who would suggest my readiness to not only encounter, but also address, crucial health concerns of a community that I so admire. I look forward to not only utilizing the innumerable skills of our teammates, but fine-tuning my own skills in this quest to serve an often underrated population.
