The first installment of Mix it Up will feature our speaker, Dr. Cook, in a discussion of issues of intersectionality in medical research.

Dr. Stephanie Cook is a James Weldon Johnson Professor in the departments of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Biostatistics at New York University School of Public Health. She is also the Director of the Attachment and Health Disparities Research Lab (AHDL). Dr. Cook’s substantive methodological and statistical focus is in the development and application of longitudinal study designs (i.e., intensive longitudinal designs) for determining the ways in which dynamic changes in features of minority stress (e.g., daily and momentary discrimination events) are associated with changes in risk behaviors and physical health (e.g., substance use and pre-clinical cardiovascular disease) among racial/ethnic and/or sexual minority young adults. Dr. Cook’s overarching research focus is to understand how structural- and individual-level minority stressors contribute to mental health, physical health, and health behaviors across the lifespan in the virtual and physical worlds. Further, she seeks to understand how features of close relationships can exacerbate or buffer the negative effects of minority stress on health. Her work primarily focuses on young adults transitioning to adulthood who are at the intersection of racial/ethnic and sexual orientation status. In addition, much of her current work examines the links between minority stress (i.e., daily experiences of discrimination), biological markers of stress and disease (e.g., cortisol and C-reactive protein), and risk factors for cardiovascular disease (e.g., cardiometabolic health behaviors). Dr. Cook has won numerous awards for her research, service, and teaching including the Matilda White Riley Distinguished Early-Stage Investigator Award from the National Institutes of Health, the Emerging Scholar recognition from Diverse Magazine, and the AmStat News “Data for Good” Challenge in Human Rights Award.

The Mix it Up series is hosted in partnership with the All of Us Research Program. Learn more about the All of Us Research Program here: Joinallofus.org/togetherDALLAS

Register now for Rural Health Book Club on “Baby Making for Everybody: Family Building and Fertility for LGBTQ+ and Solo Parents” by Marea Goodman and Ray Rachlin. Community members and Scholars are invited to look more into the world of alternate family building and the role that healthcare plays. More information on the Rural Health Book Club can be found by clicking here.

Register now for Rural Health Book Club on “We'll Fight It Out Here: A History of the Ongoing Struggle for Health Equity” by David Chanoff and Louis W. Sullivan. We will discuss how a coalition of Black health professions schools made health equity a national issue, and the implications for our community as a whole. More information on the Rural Health Book Club can be found by clicking here.

ATS, CV, and more, oh my! Job hunting in the LinkedIn era can feel overwhelming, but fortunately we’re here to help. Join us for a job preparation session on Zoom during lunch or dinner for accountability and expert advice.

ATS, CV, and more, oh my! Job hunting in the LinkedIn era can feel overwhelming, but fortunately we’re here to help. Join us for a job preparation session on Zoom during lunch or dinner for accountability and expert advice.

Register now for Rural Health Book Club on “Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End” by Atul Gawande. We will discuss death care, and the different elements within our modern society. More information on the Rural Health Book Club can be found by clicking here.

The first installment of Mix it Up will feature Dr. Gabriel Benavidez, an epidemiologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health at Baylor University, as well as Ashley Bearden, MPH, the Executive Director of Waco AHEC.

Disease doesn’t impact every population equally. If COVID-19 demonstrated one thing, it’s that inequality shows up plainly in epidemiology, and that our conversations around public health need to expand. Join us for an intersectional look at the science of disease and the way it spreads. Questions are encourgaed, and attendees will get the opportunity to chat with our experienced public health professionals.

The Mix it Up series is hosted in partnership with the All of Us Research Program. Learn more about the All of Us Research Program here: Joinallofus.org/togetherDALLAS

Register now for Rural Health Book Club on “Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed” by Lori Gottlieb. We will discuss the intersection of therapy with the rest of the healthcare field, as well as personal experiences with mental health. More information on the Rural Health Book Club can be found by clicking here.

Register now for Rural Health Book Club on “Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke In the Richest Country On Earth” by Sarah Smarsh. More information on the Rural Health Book Club can be found by clicking here.

ATS, CV, and more, oh my! Job hunting in the LinkedIn era can feel overwhelming, but fortunately we’re here to help. Join us for a job preparation session on Zoom during lunch or dinner for accountability and expert advice.

ATS, CV, and more, oh my! Job hunting in the LinkedIn era can feel overwhelming, but fortunately we’re here to help. Join us for a job preparation session on Zoom during lunch or dinner for accountability and expert advice.

Register now for Rural Health Book Club on “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide” by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. More information on the Rural Health Book Club can be found by clicking here.

Register now for September’s Rural Health Book Club on “Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World” by Tracy Kidder! More information on the Rural Health Book Club can be found by clicking here.

Join Texas AHEC East Scholars for our first Rural Health Book Club meeting! This month we will be discussing queer healthcare through the book Felix Never After, by Kacen Callender. This will count for a didactic hour, and is an opportunity to network with other Scholars across our region.

Entry Questions (have answers ready for the beginning of the discussion):

How do Felix's intersecting identities affect the way he receives healthcare?

What does gender dysphoria mean for Felix? What brings him gender euphoria?

What role does the Center play in his journey?

The Community Opportunity Event, also known as the COE, is an exciting event scheduled for May 20, 2023, at the Dewey Recreation Center as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Dewey Park (925 N 9th St). The Community Opportunity Event is a community wellness and resource fair co-hosted by Waco Police Department, City of Waco Parks and Rec, Waco Family Medicine and Waco AHEC. The event is intended to promote individual, family, and community well-being by partnering with community resources to provide educational and interactive health services, education and career opportunities, and fun for the whole family.

Our youth represent the future and therefore we, as a community, need to do everything we can to guide them on the right path to be successful. The COE promotes a holistic approach that addresses the root causes of teen gun violence through community resources and healthy lifestyle choices which can help create safer and more positive environments for young people.

It's the final Mix It Up, and we're thrilled to host another amazing clinician. The community is welcome to join us in learning ways to preserve cultural safety for trans and gender-nonconforming patients. Can't attend but have questions? Send it to us via our social media.

The Mix it Up series is hosted in partnership with the All of Us Research Program. Learn more about the All of Us Research Program here: Joinallofus.org/togetherDALLAS

The third installment of Mix it Up will feature Dr. Steven López, a professor of Psychology and Social Work at the University of Southern California. He will discuss his experience improving mental health services for communities of color, especially the Latinx community as well as engage in discussion about the importance of addressing mental health, cultural competence in clinical practice, and effective care. AHEC Scholars will have the opportunity to earn didactic hours, ask questions, and network.

The Mix it Up series is hosted in partnership with the All of Us Research Program. Learn more about the All of Us Research Program here: Joinallofus.org/togetherDALLAS

The second installment of Mix it Up will feature Dr. Debra Dianne Murray from the Baylor College of Medicine. If you've ever been interested in a research career in genomics, this is an opportunity to learn from an experienced researcher as she discusses the need for minorities in research and the evolution of her career. Dr. Murray has served as the National Program Coordinator for the Institute for Opportunity and Equality Health Initiative, where she coordinated a national plan, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (NDEP), to educate African Americans about diabetes utilizing the unique NUL affiliate network.

This event is held in collaboration with the All of Us Research Program and Texas AHEC East - Waco Region. The Mix It Up series is January through April, every fourth Thursday- so stay tuned!

The Mix it Up series is hosted in partnership with the All of Us Research Program. Learn more about the All of Us Research Program here: Joinallofus.org/togetherDALLAS

The first installment of Mix it Up will feature Dr. Tshaka Cunningham, the co-founder and chief scientific officer for Polaris Genomics. Dr. Tshaka Cunningham, a graduate of Princeton University, received his PhD in molecular biology from Rockefeller University & completed his postdoctoral training at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, France and at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. He previously worked at the Department of Veterans Affairs overseeing a federally funded national research program in aging & neurodegenerative disease and serving as a subject matter expert for the VA’s Genomic Medicine Implementation Program. Motivated by the timely need for advancements in diversity and inclusion in precision medicine while at the VA, Dr. Cunningham co-founded and serves as the Executive Director of the Faith-Based Genetic Research Institute, a community-based non-profit organization dedicated to improving people’s lives through the power of genomics and precision medicine. A leading voice in advocating for diversity & representation in the field of genomics, Dr. Cunningham also serves as a board member of the Future Kings and Queens of STEM biomedical program, a STEM-focused non-profit organization for youth from underserved communities in the DC-area. He will discuss his professional journey as well as best practices for engaging diverse communities in genomics and precision medicine.

The Mix it Up series is hosted in partnership with the All of Us Research Program. Learn more about the All of Us Research Program here: Joinallofus.org/togetherDALLAS

Christmas on Memorial is a Christmas-themed family resource and health fair. There will be health screenings, food distributions, and community resources who will be promoting their services. Waco AHEC will be promoting our programs and sharing about the All of Us Research Program.

The Texas Rural Health Association is hosting their annual Legislative Summit at the state’s capital, Austin, TX! Waco AHEC will be leading a session about how precision medicine can impact rural communities. We will also be providing an overview of the All of Us Research Program. You can register for the summit here.

Texas AHEC East - Waco Region in conjunction with Waco Family Medicine is delighted to host our 2nd annual Healthy Families Expo. The theme of the event is Healthy Families, Healthy Homes. Waco Family Medicine and Texas AHEC East-Waco Region are committed to strengthening families and transforming communities through outreach. The Healthy Families Expo is intended to promote individual, family, and community well-being by partnering with community resources to provide educational and interactive health services. Proceeds from the Healthy Family Expo will benefit our continued mission of improving the wellness of the underserved and vulnerable residents of the Heart of Texas by providing effective access to high-quality, comprehensive primary health care. The Healthy Families Expo will be held on Saturday, June 4, 2022 from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm at 1600 Providence Drive. The day will be filled with health education, community resources, food trucks, a community mural, and much more! Please mark your calendars and spread the word for an event you do not want to miss. See you there!

The third installment of Mix it Up will feature Dr. Lance Kelley, a clinical psychologist and a faculty member at Waco Family Medicine. Dr. Kelley is the Deputy Chief Behavioral Officer at Waco Family Medicine and oversees the Family Counseling and Children Services Division, as well as the Integrated Behavioral Heath Program. He will discuss his educational journey, his experience as a practicing behavioral health clinician, and the integrated behavioral health program at Waco Family Medicine, which incorporates behavioral health professionals into primary care. This is a great webinar for ANY health professional and is one that you wont want to miss.

The Mix it Up series is hosted in partnership with the All of Us Research Program. Learn more about the All of Us Research Program here: Joinallofus.org/togetherDALLAS