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Klamath River Runs Free!
Vesper Society believes a just society begins when everyone is well and respected as a human being. We also understand that our well-being is deeply connected to the health of our planet and ecosystem. October 2, 2024 marks the day that all four dams on the Klamath River were fully removed, and the river flowed freely for the first time in over 100 years. Yurok Tribe Chairman Joseph L. James said, “The tribally led effort to dismantle the dams is an expression of our sacred duty to maintain balance in the world. That is why we fought so hard and for so long to tear down the dams and bring the salmon home.” For the tribal members that live along the Klamath River in Northern California and Southern Oregon, salmon are their relatives. Jeff Mitchell, chair of the Klamath Tribe’s Culture and Heritage Committee believes “They were gifted to us by our creator and given to us to preserve and to protect and to help give us life. As such, the creator also instructed us to make sure that we do everything in our power to protect those fish.” The Klamath River Renewal Corporation completed the dam removal ahead of schedule and on budget. The work to restore the newly exposed 2,200 acres of land began earlier this year and will continue for several more years. It will take time for the water and soil quality to improve and for the salmon population to return. It is an amazing story of struggle and perseverance that inspires us to continue our social justice quest for healing for generations to come. Commemorating this moment, we share some incredible photos from Swiftwater Films that show the “before and after.” Click HERE.... Read More
We’re Moving
After twenty years in our current building, we will be moving our office next month. Here is our new address as of August 20, 2024. Vesper Society 220 Montgomery Street, Suite 496 San Francisco, CA 94104 We will resume our What’s New emails in September. Until then, have a wonderful summer, Miyoko... Read More
Building Transformational School Health for California’s Future
Vesper Society believes that a just society begins when everyone is well and respected as a human being. This idea permeated the largest annual conference hosted by the California School-Based Health Alliance (CSHA) at the end of April in Santa Clara, entitled Building Transformational School Health for California’s Future. Nearly 800 educators, health practitioners, and children’s health advocates from 80 school districts and hundreds of agencies, from 43 of California’s 58 counties gathered, in Santa Clara to learn about California’s landmark investments, in Community Schools and the Child and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI). The state of California has allocated a historic $4.7 billion to overhaul the state’s mental health system to tackle the crisis facing our children and youth. CSHA recognized the incredible demand for information from educators, child and adolescent health providers, and advocates for health and education equity who are helping to grow school-based health and wellness centers. CSHA increased its capacity for the event, hosting more than 50 workshops on models of school-based behavioral health delivery to reach underserved students, funding models for sustainability, youth engagement and leadership, staff wellness, policy initiatives to name a few. CSHA provided scholarships to 77 attendees (22 from the Central Valley), show-cased nine school-based health and wellness centers via virtual tours and distributed 800 doses of lifesaving Narcan. A former Vesper Society board member, Dr. Tomas Magana, gave an inspirational keynote address. Attendees shared that it was “really beautiful to see the long arc of school-based health, to reconnect with colleagues and to connect with new people from San Diego to Lake County!” “The best part was the diversity of workshop topics and a wonderful balance of health care and education-minded topics as well as programs and workforce-related topics.” CYBHI is creating the momentum to start and expand school-based... Read More
Welcome West Oakland Health!
Vesper Society believes a just society begins when everyone is well and respected as a human being. Every day we link arms with leaders and communities to uplift through service, break down barriers, and elevate community voices. We are delighted to welcome our partnership with West Oakland Health. West Oakland Health was founded in 1966 by four Black mothers who fought tirelessly to address their children’s and their community’s unmet health needs. At the time, the community was transitioning from its historic place as the center of Black life in Oakland. Generations of Black people had migrated to Oakland from the South. They brought with them proud family traditions, a tapestry of culture, and a resilient work ethic. But by the Sixties, the community lacked a basic healthcare infrastructure. So, these four women went to work. Volunteer physicians, local clergy, and others supported them. When the health center opened its doors in 1968, it offered not only vital health services like pediatrics, dentistry, podiatry, ophthalmology, orthopedics, dermatology, general surgery, mental health, and a full range of wrap-around family services – it also provided what was absent from every other local healthcare organization at the time: healthcare that felt like home. From the beginning, West Oakland Health has been driven to connect with its patients through service, compassion, and culture in a familial and home-like setting. This commitment continues today, including medical services that focus on women’s health. Family planning, healthy pregnancy, annual wellness examinations, staying healthy after giving birth, and breast and cervical cancer screening are also available. With the support of Vesper Society, West Oakland Health’s Gynecology and Reproductive Health Department purchased gynecological equipment to enhance the service and care provided to its patients. “The support the Vesper Society has provided has been instrumental in helping us meet... Read More
Welcome to Our New Program Partners
Vesper Society links arms with leaders and communities to uplift through service, break down barriers, and elevate community voices. We are thrilled to welcome five new partners and in the coming months we will take a closer look at the people they serve and their amazing programs. WEST OAKLAND HEALTH COUNCIL Fifty years ago, during the Civil Rights and Black Power movements, four African American mothers launched The West Oakland Health Council. It immediately rose up to become the neighborhood anchor for healthcare, health education, food and housing programs, and voter registration. The clinic became a spark that led to a transformation in health care advocacy in California and the nation. West Oakland Health Council’s mission is to improve the health and well-being of the communities it serves by providing the highest quality of health care and treatment for its diverse patient population throughout Alameda County. Each of the clinic’s health centers strive to be a hub for health, compassion, engagement, and inspiration. HUPA IMMERSION NEST Hupa Immersion Nest is dedicated to the resurgence of the Hupa Language and its connection to the overall well-being of the land and community in the Hoopa Valley, Humboldt County. An inspirational group of Indigenous women at the core of this effort have decades of experience in areas of language, cultural revitalization, education, wellness and trauma-informed practice. They work closely with Hupa elders, families, and community at large to inform their work and approaches. Language is directly tied to their identity as Na:tinixwe (people of the place where the trails return). Language connects people spiritually and physically to the land, their past (ancestors), and future generations yet to come. The language programming is infused with health and wellness, including physical health and wellness through breathing, moving bodies, dancing, healthy traditional foods, mental health... Read More
Welcome New Vesper Board Members
Vesper Society is delighted to welcome four leaders who join our board of directors this year: Mike Allison, Sara Farooqi, Michael Mata, and Joe Prado. They share Vesper’s belief in the simple idea that a just society begins when everyone is well and respected as a human being. We look forward to working with them to uplift through service, break down barriers, and elevate community voices. Mike Allison has been working for social justice by helping nonprofit organizations increase their impact for more than 25 years through strategic planning, organizational development, governance, and executive coaching. Starting out as community organizer, Mike was the Director of Consulting and Research at CompassPoint Nonprofit Services for 15 years. Sara Farooqi brings over 15 years of experience leading at the intersection of operations, organizational culture, and social impact. As an independent consultant, Sara has been recognized for her capabilities as both a strategic advisor and operator, steering complex, cross-functional initiatives across all areas of an organization. Sara is founder of Conscious Collectivist which is a practice dedicated to celebrating interdependence and mutuality. Michael Mata has designed and administered community and faith-based programs for nearly forty years, particularly in the areas of community development, urban youth work, intercultural relations, organizational and leadership development. Michael is currently Director of Network Engagement and Leadership Development for Together LA, a nonprofit seeking to affirm and strengthen faith-based efforts at community transformation. Joe Prado has worked for the County of Fresno for 26 years and is currently Assistant Director of the Department of Public Health. Joe grew up in the Central Valley and has mentored students through Fresno City College Puente Program and Central Valley Latino Leadership Academy. Joe served as incident commander for the COVID-19 Vaccine response, reaching out to the underserved farmworker community. These remarkable leaders... Read More