Hi there! My name is Shara Carranza-Ornelas, I am a senior Environmental Studies and Sociology major at Whitman College. I am a Community Fellow with Providence Population Health and work alongside Maria Remmington. She has multiple great network and communal connections here in Walla Walla, like BMAC, Blue Mountain Heart to Heart, and VITAL Vineyards. Together, they all connect to create these amazing events which help provide services to those in need of help with their own well-being and any additional resources to help those personal outcomes possible. Just this past month, we participated in a Wellness Roundup. This event took place at Walla Walla Alliance for the Homeless, and many were provided free food, vaccines, HIV and Hepatitis C screenings, information on needed resources, and winter clothing! There was a great deal of organizations that helped out too like Molina Healthcare, BMH2H, Blue Mountain Land trust, and even some of our local firefighters. It was an enjoyable event, as a local I did not even know that area existed, so it was interesting to see another part of Walla Walla and how our local organizations help out in so many ways.
In our office, we are currently moving buildings, so I have not had the greatest chance to do deskwork (not the biggest complaint). However, I have had the opportunities to sit in coalition and Providence meetings, being able to listen in on what is currently going on in the Walla Walla area. Whether it is issues regarding homelessness, drugs, basic health really, it feels off putting mainly because these issues felt invisible growing up. As mentioned, I grew up in the Milton Freewater/Walla Walla area and you hear about certain issues sometimes, but you never really know to what extent or the complexities on how community members are thinking of ways to solve them. So, it really does reveal this whole new serious perspective on what one can do to help not just one individual but a whole community. So, as someone that wanted to work in this specific fellowship, this position is starting to feel like it can turn into a career or route for how I would want to do things in my later adulthood. Especially since recently and how it adds to my little moments of curiosity and problem solving, that really makes me enjoy this fellowship so far.
A main project I do want to get in the works is a possible mural project somewhere in Walla Walla. Maria has this women’s support group, and they love to do art. This support group is made for women who work in agriculture, are mothers, are Hispanic/Latinos and really anything they need help with in and out of their homelife. As International Women’s Day approaches in March 2024, I think it would be really great to create this mural representing solidarity within womanhood. Either inside of downtown or somewhere well known in Walla Walla, it would be something they can participate in and possibly some fellow Whitman students who would love to join! I think this could be a really cute idea and I am excited to make it happen soon!