Five on Friday | July 3, 2015

Proud to be in America? Yes! Last week, in a statement regarding the Supreme Court decision requiring states to recognize same-sex marriage, President Obama said, “Today should give us hope that, on the many issues on which we grapple, many painfully, real change is possible. Shifts in hearts and minds [are] possible.” Change for the better is a real possibility, here in the United States -- even if sometimes it feels far off. This is true for many of the issues that we hold dear to our hearts. We work diligently every day for the health justice of some of the most underserved and underrepresented members of our American society -- the mobile poor. As we celebrate Independence Day this weekend, let’s toast to the work that we do collectively as clinicians and advocates to serve the marginalized portions of our society -- in hopes of bringing a brighter, healthier, more equitable future to all Americans.

Here are some updates from the world of public health and health justice that we thought you’d enjoy.

1. Del, Director of International Projects, Research, and Development was surprised by the breaking news: Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson again stepped into the media regarding the treatment of migrants as they cross the border.

2. Charlotte, Development Coordinator: “This June 24 release from Human Rights Watch offers a good overview of recent developments regarding children and women detained at Karnes and Dilley, and includes links/references to both Jeh Johnson's announcement of easing detention practices, Congressional Democrats' tour of the facilities, and attempted suicides at the facilities.” Available in English and in Spanish.

3. Amy, Director of Environmental and Occupational Health, recommended the Center for Public Integrity’s “Unequal Risks” series on worker safety & health protections. Part three will be published on Monday.

4. Olivia, Health Network Associate, forwarded an article on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announcement that transgender detainees will for the first time be able to be housed in detention facilities that match their gender identity.

5. Have you seen our new resources? This week, our Environmental and Occupational Health team is offering Spanish-English Bilingual Picture Dictionaries to help workers better communicate their health and safety needs.

Have a safe 4th of July weekend!