Competency 1:Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content.

Competency 2: Assess population needs, assets, and capacities that affect communities’ health

Competency 3: Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes.

Competency 4: Interpret the results of data analysis for public health research, policy, or practice

Competency 5: Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors

Competency 6: Explain the strategic planning processes and the relationship to budget formulation and sustainability planning

04/25/2021 

A significant amount of the practicum work was completed during the last 100 hours, allowing me to address each of the six competencies. 

Competency 1: Focused on cultural competency in communicating public health. To identify cultural stakeholders, I pulled city demographic data to identify zip codes with the largest percentage of people of color. Acquired through community garden manager interviews,  I partnered the zipcode demographic data with the history of the community gardens in Berkeley. Many of the community gardens were founded by individuals who identified as African American or Black. A correlation between the start of the gardens and the resident population of the community may correlate and require a further look into the association.

Competency 2: The ability to positively affect community health requires that community gardens be located geographically by zip code through Google Maps. Then we identified the purpose of each garden through visits and interviews of responding community garden managers. Allowing a better understanding of the assets provided by the community gardens. The quantitative survey portion of the internship highlighted the community's needs, like what type of vegetable or fruit they wish to cultivate and where property allocation for community garden should come from. 

Competency 3: A strategy that was proposed is a collaboration between three differently focused community gardens. Combining each manager's traits and strengths can provide the community a substantial range of programs and audience access. One garden focused on working with a neighboring elderly program but had programs about pollination and herbs, while another garden focused on youth development and growing food. The third garden manager was incredible with starter plants and gardening year-round. The three gardens would over many experts and topics that can help improve public health outcomes through education on healthy eating. 

Competency 4: Data results come from two methods, a nine-question qualitative interview of the eight managers out of fourteen listed—the second data results from a thirteen-question public accessible survey taken from their phone scanning a QR code. One of the interpretations of the results is the qualitative question about the need for more community gardening space. The community supported that idea through a quantitative survey by overwhelmingly supporting using park space and private property for community garden space. The positive idea of creating more space for the community to garden can be a part of the future and our existing policies for property development. 

Competency 5: The strategies to develop communications were based on the audience of the information I wish to collect. The first group was the community garden managers, and due to limited contact information, I was confined to only the email list on the Berkeley Ecology website. Out of the fourteen emails listed, only eight responded. The communication strategy with this group is to perform an interview with open-ended questions to understand what the community gardens offer and what the managers wanted to focus on.  After collecting the interview data, I crafted the quantitative portion and gauged community feedback on community gardens and participants that could either be members or possible members. The quantitative data were a combination of multiple-choice, Likert scale, and short answer. Keeping it simple, the explanation when scanning the QR code to participate was that this survey was to measure community garden interests. A total of 63 participants scanned and participated in the survey, with a few disqualifiers and incompletes, totaling 53 participants that completed the survey. The raw data was provided to my internship site, and a couple of the community managers who requested it were given a summation of the conclusion of the participant survey. 

Competency 6:  The strategic planning from the surmised survey data provided that focus is within walking distance in the 94702 area; however, vehicle accessibility ought to be a secondary consideration. The varying plot measurements encountered during the interview and tour disclosed that plot size dimensions need to be proportionate based on household size; current practices are plot assignment based on next name on the list. The budget formulation on certain items would have been possible, but the cost of construction integrating a garden would be difficult to calculate as other factors can affect the price. However, due to the lack of space, construction integration of a garden may be the only possibility in a highly populated region.

10/4/2020 - Accessing healthy foods is defined differently between cultures, and cultural competence is essential to understand the difference of foods grown. The demographics of the community can lead to a unique food experience. One of the discrepancies I noticed was that densely populated cities within a county have varying community gardens. In cities like Berkeley and Oakland, community gardens are spread out throughout the city, but cities like Pleasanton, San Leandro, and San Lorenzo only have one community garden. One could summate that population density due to apartment complexes versus single-family homes can be a factor.  I was using demographic and population size to determine city density and the number of plots available to the community. Still, there is a slight challenge as plot sizes are different from city to city. However, the waitlist policy and demand increase; I hope that competency three will be achieved by gaining qualitative input from stakeholder inputs. Through my first objective goals, researching, reading, and developing a literary analysis, cultural-based community gardens are more difficult to locate. They are usually church-based or residential location-based, like the apartment complex in Oakland Chinatown. During mapping, I was surprised at the lack of strategic property planning. In Berkeley, three community gardens are across the road from each other, but a region west of San Pablo Ave of Berkeley only has one garden. It is located in the marina district, where residents who live on boats have access. Areas that are predominantly people of color, west of the San Pablo Ave in Berkeley, CA, lack farmer's market, major grocery store, and community gardens. Only the past few years, a sizeable grocery store was built in West Berkeley but located in the heavily gentrified section of Berkeley's southwest region. 

01/05/2021 - This semester, I discovered a new initiative in East Oakland, which has historically resided individuals who identify themselves as African Americans or Black. The region is plagued with gun violence and crime so frequently that it was dubbed as the "killing zone" by major media television reports. The community pushed back by reclaiming their community and developing an abandoned property giving Black communities a safe space to express themselves and support fellow neighbors. Free programs, access to healthy foods, and healthcare services are keys to cultural competence to bring about health equity. This fills both competency 1 and 2 as there is a huge need for Black support, now more than ever as we are in a pandemic. Identifying community leaders like Carolyn Johnson are key to building coalitions like the Black Cultural Zone. To support and measure my fourth competency, I plan to send my needs assessment of the cour counties to city council members and leaders like Jesse Arreguin, Mayor of Berkeley, who is involved in passing policy to expand urban gardening so that it is accessible to more residents and red tape is removed from residential gardens, so waitlist on city manager gardens is reduced. Communication methods with stakeholders and leaders extend from my time serving on the Parent-Teacher Association board; positive messaging and best gardening practices are targeted towards participants, while policy and budget are best focused on organizers, politicians, community organizers, and managers. Keeping communication simple and clear so that confusion is reduced, while detailed information for managers and decision-makers is best targeted. This all sounds simple, but even I have trouble keeping my thoughts linear on this practicum. I have found myself thinking about new questions and various issues that I want to find more information about, but I have to keep myself center and focus on tackling one issue at a time.

03/10/2021 - Question although the competencies primarily pertain to the cultural competency of the community and participants, can it also include the student? During this time of the covid pandemic, there is a cultural divide, but it is more important than ever to cross the divide and work together. During my interviews with garden managers, I noticed that one of the best combinations of coalitions combined, private, public, and youth, can create an incredible program. Bonnie from Ashby Garden, a private non-profit community garden, resides on two private properties but is incredible at creating programs and program content for workshops. In a unique garden location predicament, Steve, a garden manager from Bancroft garden, is a structural, organizational manager who works well in groups and best independently. Finally, Mike is a former city employee and a well-loved pastor who food program that has an incredible voice and connection with the youth programs. Connecting the three with Healthy Black Families can be an incredible outreach to address equity questions in Berkeley, California. The thought of what these three can accomplish working with Healthy Black Families can help bridge the equity gap and address people of color's community food access.