Today, members of APHA's Community Health Planning and Policy Development Section gathered at GLIDE and St. Anthony's Foundation, two local San Francisco organizations that offer support services to the city's poor and marginalized populations. It's the second year the Section has planned a community action event to coincide with the APHA Annual Meeting and help raise awareness about local needs. Check back here tomorrow for more coverage from the community event. Above from top to bottom, Joe Schuchter, chair of the CHPPD Section Policy Committee, serves lunch to local homeless residents at St. Anthony's Foundation; CHPPD Section members (from left to right) A.J. Scheiter, Danielle Durham and Marnine Purciel-Hill get ready to serve lunch at GLIDE; and Section member Ryan Cole (in blue shirt) helps serve lunch to local low-income seniors in San Francisco's Tenderloin District. Photos by Donya Currie
If there's one, sure-fire way to get in full-blown rally mode for the official kickoff of APHA's 140th Annual Meeting, it's going to a summit filled with workers' right advocates. Luckily, APHA's Occupational Health and Safety Section helped organize such a gathering today at the Moscone Convention Center.
During her impassioned speech, Murray called on attendees to stand up and shout loud on behalf of workers, noting that in 2010 more than 4,600 workers died on the job — that's about 13 deaths every single day. And thousands more workers died due to occupational illnesses and millions more were injured on the job. Murray noted that "this crude expression of the workplace doesn't fall equally" — immigrant workers, in particular, suffer a greater burden of workplace-related illness and injury.
"Most of the time, workers die quietly; no one notices but their family, their friends and their fellow workers," she told the crowd. "It's heartbreaking...we know these stories, the question is what do we do about it?"
Build a movement and remember our history, Murray said. She noted that from the end of WWII to the late 1970s, the nation experienced an increase in unionization, jobs and wages as well as an improvement in health and safety conditions. Since the 1970s, however, we've been going in reverse — "workers are under attack," she said.
"No matter who wins next week, we need to understand that our work cannot stop...an injury to one is an injury to all," Murray said. "When we come together and organize and fight for the rights of all people, we win. ...This country was built by workers and it has to be a country for workers."
— K.K.
Above from top to bottom, a summit attendee holds up a T-shirt commemorating the 2012 Workers' Memorial Day and featuring an illustration of the Ramirez brothers, who died after inhaling hydrogen sulfide gas while cleaning an underground storm drain system in California; and opening summit speaker Linda Rae Murray. Photos by Kim Krisberg
Where do we start? The area just around the Moscone Convention Center is chock full of places to eat, shop and sightsee.
Walking is a great way to get around town, but this city offers so many mass transit options. Ride an historic streetcar, cable car, light rail or bus (or all four) by purchasing tickets at the booth at the Powell Street station off Market Street, where a daily passport for unlimited travel runs $14 and a three-day pass is $21. Learn more at www.sfmta.com. How cool would it be to bike across the Golden Gate Bridge? Rent a bike and helmet at Alcatraz Gifts and Tours on 486 Geary or right at Union Square. We also found this handy San Francisco bike map courtesy of the San Francisco Bike Coalition.
My East Coast friend Cristina, a California native, says Dottie’s True Blue Café at 28 6th St. is a must. They’re open 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends and 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays, except Tuesday. How about some warm chickpea, mushroom and spinach salad with yogurt mint dressing and a side of fresh grilled chili-cheddar corn bread with jalapeño jelly? The Pinecrest Diner at the corner of Geary and Mason is open 24 hours and, according to their sign, serves the “Best Breakfast in San Francisco.”
Want some live music with your food? Check out Biscuits and Blues at 401 Mason St., which offers “real southern food” (fried chicken, pulled pork, Louisiana meatloaf, fried green tomatoes and the like) as well as a live music line-up that includes Rod Piazza and the All Mighty Flyers tonight and tomorrow’s International Blues Challenge between Howell Devine, the Feral Moon Band, Nancy Wenstrom and Blues Kitchen, and Pinkie Rideau and Blind Resistance. Everyone votes (hey, good practice for Nov. 6), and the winner will represent the Golden Gate Blues Society at the Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge in Memphis in early 2013.
Art lovers can find galleries nearby, including the Martin Lawrence Gallery at 366 Geary St. and Hang Art at 567 Sutter St. featuring original works by San Francisco Bay area artists. Pick up a Giants T-shirt or forgotten workout gear at Sports Basement at the corner of Market and 5th streets. Find that perfect costume at Simply Halloween at 151 Powell St. Did we mention the shopping? Union Square is known for its retail delights, from a signature Levi’s store to Luis Vuitton and Tiffany’s. Just head up Stockton Street to Geary and walk around.
Many people tell us Chinatown should not be missed, not to mention Fisherman’s Wharf, where you can eat clam chowder out of sourdough bread bowls and watch the charming seals. Both are accessible via transit. Has anyone biked, jogged or walked to Chinatown? Help your fellow APHA-ers and share you favorite local haunts in the comments section below.
— D.C.
Above from top to bottom, the mass transit ticket booth at the Powell Street Station; safety tips for riding the city's cable cars; and a rainbow of souvenir magnets from Alcatraz Gifts and Tours. Photos by Donya Currie
Start your public health engines, folks! The 140th APHA Annual Meeting is here! Above from top to bottom, Annual Meeting banners outside the Moscone Convention Center; the Dewey Memorial statue in Union Square; one of San Fran's famous (and adorable) cable cars; a street view near Union Square; and one of the city's Hearts in San Francisco public art installations. Photos by Kim Krisberg
It's my pleasure to welcome you to APHA's 140th Annual Meeting, which officially kicks off this Sunday in San Francisco! This is my 10th Annual Meeting as APHA's executive director and the privilege of welcoming thousands of dedicated colleagues to the world's largest public health gathering never gets old. Indeed, the opportunity to be immersed in that collective excitement to make a difference in people's lives is energizing, reinvigorating and truly one of my favorite parts of the job.
It's been another year of highs and lows for the field, and I'm continuously impressed at how determined public health workers are to adapt to a changing landscape and ensure that all people have the opportunities that afford good health and well-being. Of course, one of the year's highlights was June's Supreme Court ruling upholding nearly every part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. I was in Charlotte, N.C., at APHA's Midyear Meeting the morning the ruling came down and I'll never forget it. Surrounded by hundreds of public health practitioners — many of whom had spent their careers working to fix a broken health care system — it was such a joyous moment.
But improving health, preventing disease and eliminating health inequities takes more than just having a health insurance card. It takes a strong, well-supported and resilient public health system. And unfortunately, public health continues to experience funding cuts that endanger our capacity to move forward as well as protect the gains we've worked so hard to accomplish. Such an environment makes coming together for the 140th APHA Annual Meeting even more important.
Swapping best practices and learning from each other's experiences is so critical in these very uncertain times. What works, what doesn't? Which community partners were critical to an effort's success? What part did social media play? How have quality improvement efforts helped boost effectiveness? What difference are health reform and related community grants already making on the ground? How can we best leverage current resources? Should we start billing for clinical services? How can public health use policy to promote better health? And how can public health work across sectors to impact the many social determinants of people's health?
These discussions and so much more await you in San Francisco. Not only are we excited to offer you the latest in public health research and practice, the APHA Annual Meeting is also a time to celebrate our achievements, explore new opportunities, catch up with old friends, meet new ones and organize in support of a strong public health system.
History has shown that public health is a determined and mighty force in making the world a better place for everyone. I look forward to seeing that force on proud display in San Francisco.
I imagine everyone has his or her own strategy when it comes to the Public Health Expo. I don't want to miss anything, so I usually start with the far right row and loop my way up and down every aisle. This also maximizes the opportunity for free goodies and giveaways — and I love a good pen and a strong magnet.
Other folks know exactly what they're looking for and make a beeline for their favorite group of booths. Or you might walk straight through, trying your best to resist all the shiny public health goodness, to get to the wealth of fascinating poster sessions hosted at the back of the expo hall. Some take the wanderlust approach and go where their fancies take them. While others can be seen standing at the expo entrance, entranced with the overflowing choices and trying to figure out where to go first.
One thing's for sure though: With more than 600 booths of public health information, resources and products, no one leaves empty-handed or without a new idea or two. (Plus, the expo is a great way to get a little walk into your schedule without leaving the convention center.)
The offerings at the Public Health Expo are as diverse as public health itself, from schools of public health to state and federal public health agencies to public health nonprofit groups. There's also book publishers, technology and public health promotion vendors, health consultants, community and environmental health groups, laboratory and clinical services, international health organizations, and APHA's many Sections, Special Primary Interest Groups, Caucuses and the Student Assembly. Believe me, this short list does not do the expo justice. (And if you don’t believe me, here’s what NPR’s Shots Blog reported from last year’s exposition.)
At the center of the expo hall, you'll find Everything APHA, your source for...well, everything APHA. It includes APHA Press, where you'll find APHA books and publications as well as T-shirts and other souvenirs; Public Health CareerMart, where job seekers and employers can submit resumes and job announcements online (job seekers can also sign up for a private career coaching session); and APHA Membership, where you can update your membership record and meet APHA membership staff. Everything APHA will also host a handful of book signings Sunday through Tuesday of the 140th APHA Annual Meeting.
And don't forget to stop by APHA's Get Ready booth, where you can ooohhh and aaawww at the winners of APHA's Preparedness Cats Photo Contest and see which cute kitties landed a spot in the 2013 Get Ready calendar.
For more on this year's Public Health Expo, which opens its doors immediately following the opening session on Sunday, Oct. 28, visit www.apha.org/meetings/exposition.
At top, an aerial pic of the 2011 Public Health Expo in Washington, D.C. Photo courtesy EZ Event Photography.
From the very beginning, Gary Black wanted to show fellow public health workers that you don't need a big budget or a fancy studio to make a film that resonates with the audience. And he should know: As a founder and co-organizer of the Annual APHA Film Festival, he's seen how far a little creativity and lot of passion can go.
"We always wanted to encourage people to do their own work...to really make it grassroots," says Black, a member of the APHA Public Health Education and Health Promotion Section's Health Communication Working Group, which plans the film festival in partnership with the International Health Section. "We need to continue developing a visual community and storytelling is one of the most important parts of that — it's the way we learn new information and retain it. Yes, a picture is worth a thousand words...but it's the storytelling that I think is most important."
This year at the 140th APHA Annual Meeting in San Francisco, the APHA Film Festival is celebrating its ninth year. Black says the member-driven festival has grown from 20 submissions its first year to 80 submissions this year — "and every different type of presentation you can imagine, we get it." From short public service announcements to full-length documentaries and everything in between, the film festival is an opportunity to "experience something different," Black says. (The Health Communication Working Group organizes submissions on domestic topics, while the International Health Section organizes submissions on global topics.)
"We've all gone browsing through YouTube and Netflix and watched a little bit of this and that — that's the kind of experience we'll be providing for people," he says.
The U.S. portion of the APHA Film Festival is spread over five sessions, Oct. 29–31, and the international films over three sessions on Oct. 29. All of the submissions get some time up on the silver screen, even if it's just an excerpt from a longer film entry. (Black jokes that it's not uncommon to hear "audible groans from the audience" when the excerpt from a really good film comes to an end.) At each session, Black says a handout will be available with more background info on the films presented.
Here's just a few highlights on what you can expect to see:
• “No Excuses”: Public service announcements in English and Spanish that educate men and women ages 50 and older on the importance of regular colorectal cancer screenings.
• “Healthy Dance”: An educational music video about diabetes prevention and control created by youth in East Harlem.
• “Meaning of Driving in Later Life”: A piece about the stresses that come when you can no longer drive.
Black says he receives film submissions on every public health topic imaginable. But he notes that youth-driven projects have always left an impression on him — "they always tend to be exciting, compelling and I think it's a very effective technique."
"Public health really needs to be using these tools," Black says. "This is how young people get information and we need to be a part of it."
To read more about the 9th Annual APHA Film Festival, visit the online program. And if you're interested in meeting experts in health communications, stop by the Health Communication Working Group social on Sunday, Oct. 28, from 6-8 p.m. (Check the printed Annual Meeting program you'll receive in San Fran for room numbers.)
Above, one of the CDC's "No Excuses" public service announcements.
Those of you who are APHA Annual Meeting veterans are familar with the phone book...uh, I mean the Annual Meeting program. It's big, heavy and packed to the gills with information. Don't get me wrong — this blogger actually looks forward to flipping through the many pages, using multicolored sticky notes and a brand new highlighter to plan out my time at the meeting. It's become a fall tradition of sorts.
But this is the new millennium and APHA is always up for taking advantage of new technologies (even this old-fashioned blogger is slowly being dragged — somewhat kicking and screaming — into the new world). So, if you've been searching through APHA's online meeting program and wondering to yourself if there's an app for that, your thoughts have now been answered. Introducing the new APHA2012 Annual Meeting Mobile App!
The absolutely free APHA2012 app is now available for download for iPhones, iPads, Android and Blackberry devices — just search for "APHA Meeting" in your device's app store. And here's some of the cool stuff you can do with it: search meeting sessions, abstracts and author information; find info on Public Health Expo exhibitors and floor plans; and create a meeting itinerary that you can save to your device's personal calendar.
You can even use the new app to search for fellow Annual Meeting attendees and send them a message, which they'll receive on their phones and via email. (But don't worry, the app doesn't display any of your personal information.) And once you download the app, you don't need an Internet connection to use it. Pretty cool and crazy convenient.
Of course, the APHA2012 app is only one way APHA will keep you connected during this year's 140th Annual Meeting in San Francisco. There's also APHA's @APHAAnnualMtg Twitter (follow the #APHA12 hashtag to join the conversation), the @PublicHealth Twitter (which just recently topped 200,000 followers!), APHA's Facebook page, LinkedIn, Flickr, Pinterest, YouTube, Foursquare, Instagram and Storify pages, and APHA’s newsblog Public Health Newswire. And there's yours truly and her fellow bloggers at the official APHA Meetings Blog, where you can sign up for free daily email updates that'll go directly to your inbox.
Like we've said before on this blog, APHA's social media team is kinda like public health itself: we're everywhere.
For more on APHA's social media offerings, click here. For more information on the new APHA2012 Annual Meeting Mobile App, click here.
