As the summer’s heat waves continues to sear California, action is being taken against dangers of extreme temperatures. In a media briefing on September 26, hosted by Ethnic Media Services, experts from various fields discussed the importance of community partnerships, language justice, and disability rights in building resilience in underserved communities.

Speakers

(L-r) Dr. Inés Ruiz-Huston, VP, Special Programs & Civic Engagement, El Concilio; Patrizia Hironimus, Executive Director, Butte Environmental Council; Dr. Maggie Park, County Public Health Officer, San Joaquin County Public Health Services; Susan Henderson, Executive Director, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund; Braden Kay, Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program Manager, Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (EMS).
  • Dr. Inés Ruiz-Huston, VP, Special Programs & Civic Engagement, El Concilio
  • Patrizia Hironimus, Executive Director, Butte Environmental Council
  • Dr. Maggie Park, County Public Health Officer, San Joaquin County Public Health Services
  • Susan Henderson, Executive Director, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund
  • Braden Kay, Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program Manager, Governor’s Office of Planning and Research

Communicating the Heat Waves

Effective communication the community is crucial. Ines Ruiz-Huston defines the value of going door-to-door and educating the public. “Make the topic about extreme heat and you turn it into something exciting to talk about,” she said. “And also use the opportunity when we found out through Dr. Park and her team, you know, use public health, your county public health and the state provide the information for you.”

Language justice was also a major focus of the briefing. Braden Kay, from the Office of Community Pro and strategic communications, highlighted the importance of reaching Californians in multiple languages. “The campaigns paid media effort reached more than 38 million Californians across print online and digital channels in 9 languages,” he said. “That language justice, the component. So important.”

Being able to access the resources is another one of the states concerns.  Disability rights advocate Alice Wong emphasized the importance of including people with disabilities in emergency planning and response efforts. “We need to make sure that people with disabilities are not an afterthought,” she said, “we need to make sure that they are included in the planning process, that they have access to information, and that they have access to the resources they need to stay safe.”

Let’s Jazz it Up

So why not bring in some creativity? And so they did, turning their heads towards art and culture as their power tool. Artist and community organizer Favianna Rodriguez spoke about the power of art in bringing people together and raising awareness about important issues. “Art is a way to communicate with people who may not be interested in policy or politics,” she said, “it’s a way to bring people together and create a sense of community.”

Rodriguez also emphasized the importance of centering the voices of those most affected by extreme heat and other climate-related issues. “We need to make sure that the people who are most impacted by these issues are leading the conversation,” she said, “we need to listen to their stories and their experiences, and use that to inform our policies and our actions.”

Another creative approach to building resilience is through the use of technology. Dr. Rupa Basu, Chief of the Air and Climate Epidemiology Section at the California Environmental Protection Agency, spoke about the use of data and technology in predicting and responding to extreme heat events. “We’re using data to identify the communities that are most vulnerable to extreme heat, and then working with local partners to provide resources and support,” she said. “We’re also using technology to develop early warning systems and heat maps that can help people stay safe.”

Final Takeaways

Overall, the briefing highlighted the importance of community partnerships, effective communication, and creative approaches in building resilience in underserved communities. As the effects of climate change continue to be felt across the state, it is more important than ever to work together to protect all members of the community.

In the end the speakers came together give their final two cents on the action needed to fight climate change. A curve ball was the idea of climate change being politicized, being portrayed as a hoax, however the shift in the temperatures definitely didn’t go unnoticed. One speaker pointed out how many of the farmworkers and organizations are not getting the information they need. Braden Kay repeatedly brought up how “every heat death is preventable.” However people can’t get the information, and it’s only going to get worse. Communication is key to survive these heat waves that going to get longer, hotter, more frequent and that’s what we need to prepare for. 

As Alice Wong put it, “We need to make sure that everyone has access to the resources they need to stay safe, regardless of their race, ethnicity, language, or ability. We need to work together to build a more resilient and equitable future for all Californians.”