Our Work
Officers of Bainbridge Island Youth Partners In Health Engage Chapter fundraising for the Maternal Center of Excellence at the Battle Point Sounds of Summer outdoor concerts in the Summer of 2021.
Through fundraising, advocacy, and education, we are working to further Partners In Health's mission: a universal right to health. As a Bainbridge Island chapter, we are bringing this mission to Bainbridge Island.
Celebration of Education Fashion Show!
This May, our chapter threw a Celebration of Education Fashion Show to raise money for the medical school in Rwanda called the University of Global Health Equity. In honor of the school, all of our models were outstanding students and teachers of the community to celebrate the power of education on our island and around the world. We were honored to have local equity advocate and teacher Chasity Malatesta as our emcee and Partners In Health Doctor Neil Gupta as our keynote speaker. We're grateful to Kevin from the Lynwood Theater for making this show possible and we're grateful to our 175 attendees for a fun afternoon and for helping us reach our fundraising goal of $10,000 for the medical school!
Advocacy this December
BIYPIHE is advocating for the EndTB Now Act: a bipartisan bill pushing for greater response to the current Tuberculosis crisis. Learn more about what we're asking for and why here!
Meeting with Sen. Cantwell's Office
This month, our chapter met with Astor Tellman and Kevin Chang from Senator Cantwell's office on the EndTB Now Act. We're asking that Senator Cantwell cosponsor this bipartisan act to increase the United State's support towards prevention and treatment responses for Tuberculosis. Astor and Kevin said this piece of legislation seemed like something Sen. Cantwell would support. We look forward to following up with the office in January.
Meeting with Sen. Murray's Office
This month, our chapter met with Christy Gaines from Senator Murray's office on the EndTB Now Act. We're asking that Senator Murray cosponsor this bipartisan act to increase the United State's support towards prevention and treatment responses for Tuberculosis. Christy said this piece of legislation seemed like something Sen. Murray would support. We look forward to following up with the office in January.
November Highlights
This November was dedicated to fundraising for the University of Global Health Equity. Through a panel event, selling bracelets, a door-to-door day and personal fundraising, we raised over $8,000 for the University of Global Health Equity this month! We are extremely grateful to the Bainbridge Island community for making this success possible!
Selling Bracelets
Winslow businesses Plum Boutique and Eagle Harbor Books were generous enough to allow our chapter to sell our student-made bracelets in their stores to raise money for the UGHE.
Door-to-Door Day
For our final push, our group got together to go door-to-door around the island asking for funds for the University of Global Health Equity. In just a few hours, we raised over $800. You rock, Bainbridge!
Personal Fundraising
Our members have been working hard this month to utilize their own connections to bring new people into the Right to Health movement and send resources to Rwanda!
Injustice Has a Cure Panel Event!
This November 2022, BIYPIHE hosted a panel event fundraiser to educate on public health issues and solutions and raise funds for the University of Global Health Equity. Thanks to the generosity of the Bainbridge Island community, we were able to raise over $3,500 for the UGHE in this evening alone! Thank you again to Dr. Neil Gupta, Dr. Rabi Yunusa, Dr. Stephanie Farquhar and Chasity Malatesta for speaking on our panel.
September and October Highlights
Weekly discussions
These past two months, BIYPIHE members have been discussing a variety of topics related to global health including feminism, colonialism, capitalism, culture and mental health. Our leadership team has been extremely impressed by the ideas and connections from all of our incredible members!
Meeting with Rep. Kilmer
This October, our chapter met with Representative Derek Kilmer (bottom right) and his staff member Katy Crabtree (top center) to follow up on our Summer conversation about the Paul Farmer Memorial Resolution. This Resolution calls for a dramatic change in how the United States approaches global health by radically increasing the global health budget, investing in local infrastructure, ending economic exploitation of low-income countries and acknowledging the legacies of colonialism.
Read more about the resolution here!
LTEs Published
Our advocacy lead, Dash Tibbals, and our shining member, Lena Wood, wrote Letters to the Editor to local newspapers voicing our team's support of the Paul Farmer Memorial Resolution.
Summer 2022 Highlights
4th of July Fun!
This Independence Day, thanks to the generosity of the Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce, our chapter was able to participate in the 4th of July parade and hold an art concession stand at the Street Fair! We raised over 800 dollars for a maternal teaching hospital in Sierra Leone and received lots of cheers for our work and mission from the Bainbridge Island community!
Student-made Art Concession Stands
This Summer, thanks to the Bainbridge Island Parks District, our chapter was able to hold a concession stand at the Battle Point Sounds of Summer Concerts. We sold student-made art and face paints to fundraise for the UGHE: a medical school in Rwanda. We raised over 350 dollars for the UGHE and had a lot of fun dancing and spreading awareness for our mission.
Our fundraising focus shifted this Summer from the MCOE to the UGHE.
Female Power Fashion Show!
Early this May 2022, our chapter threw a Female Power Fashion Show to fundraise for the Maternal Center of Excellence.
All of our models were heroic women of our community (teachers, activists, doctors, essential workers, and more!) and all of the money raised went to the women and children of Sierra Leone.
Thanks to the overwhelming support of our community, we completely sold out our show at the Bainbridge Island Art Museum, raised over 6,000 dollars and had a TON of fun cheering for female power on Bainbridge Island!
Check out some of our event photos below by Valerie Torstenson (photosbyvt@gmail.com)!
Advocacy this March 2022
BIYPIHE is advocating for increased global health appropriations this month. Learn more about what we're asking for here!
Meeting with Rep. Derek Kilmer
This month, our chapter met with Representative Derek Kilmer (top left) and his staff member Katy Crabtree (mid left) to discuss global health appropriations. We asked him to advocate for an increase in U.S. spending towards the global health entities the Global Fund, USAID and PEPDAR. Kilmer voiced his support of this crucial cause and committed to writing a letter to the lead of the SFOPS committee, Barbara Lee, in support of our asks. We were able to ask Derek (he insisted we call him by his first name!) some questions about the appropriations process and we look forward to meeting with him again in a few weeks to touch base!
Meeting with Rep. Jayapal's Office
This month, our chapter met with one of the outreach coordinators of Representative Pramila Jayapal: Sool Abdirahman (bottom), to talk about global health appropriations. We asked that Representative Jayapal advocate for an increase in U.S. spending towards the global health entities the Global Fund, USAID and PEPDAR. We celebrated Rep. Jayapal's past support of our asks in her signature of the Bipartisan Child and Maternal Health and Nutrition Dear Colleague Letter and were happy to hear from Ms. Abdirahman we're likely to see continued support from the Representative. We are following up with Ms. Abdirahman the week of 4/25-- looking forward to it!
Meeting with Sen. Murray's Office
This month, our chapter met with the Health Policy Fellow of Senator Murray, Lauren Battle (bottom left), to discuss global health appropriations. We asked that Senator Murray advocate for an increase in U.S. spending towards the global health entities the Global Fund, USAID and PEPDAR. Ms. Battle voiced her and Murray's support for global health issues and committed to speaking with the rest of the legislative team on our asks. Ms. Battle clarified the appropriations timeline for us and offered to meet with us in a few weeks for a follow-up! We're excited to further our connection with Sen. Murray's office!
Request Form Marathon
During a chapter meeting this month, about 20 members and their friends filled out Rep. Derek Kilmer's Appropriations Request Form for the Global Fund. We listened to house music, ate food, danced and moved global health up on the priority list of budget items!
LTE Published
One of our shining members, Saiya McElderry, submitted an LTE on global health appropriations to the Bainbrige Island Review, and the paper was kind enough to publish it this month! The purpose of this LTE was to spread awareness on the cause and alert Washington Members of Congress their constituents care about global health.
November 2021 Highlights
November is one of the two big fundraising months for our chapter. Learn how we raised money in our community this fundraising season below!
Injustice Has a Cure Global Maternal Health Event
This November 20, we held a virtual panel event on global maternal health to fundraise for the Maternal Center of Excellence. Partners In Health clinical leaders, Vicky Reed and Dr. Neil Gupta were featured on the panel and attendees were able to hear from them and ask questions. Thanks to our incredible guest speakers, Laure Bottinelli, Laura Van Dyke and the 40 committed community members present, we were able to raise a whopping $1,200 for the MCOE!!!
Check out the recorded event here!
Fundraising in Our Community
All throughout November, our chapter has been plugging Partners In Health into the Bainbridge Island community. Our members have been personally fundraising by reaching out to people they know, going door-to-door in their neighborhoods, and passing out hundreds of handouts around our school and community. We also were able to advertise in local newspapers the Bainbridge Review and Kitsap Sun. We collaborated with two local businesses, Covet and Plum, to sell chapter-made bracelets in their stores with all funds sent directly to the Maternal Center of Excellence.
*All chapter fundraiser donations this year go to the Maternal Center of Excellence (MCOE): a teaching hospital for mothers and children in Sierra Leone.
This November, the BIYPIHE raised over 5,500 dollars for the MCOE!
Advocacy this October 2021
Fossil Free Future Climate March
BIYPIHE members attended the youth-led Fossil Free Future Seattle Climate March this October to demand a fossil free future. The climate justice movement is in absolute parallel to our health justice one. The degradation of our planet is a direct threat to the health of our planet's people and Partners In Health's work of universalizing health cannot be sustainable on a burning planet. So, about 15 of our members skipped school this October to march in solidarity with the communities who are currently being hit hardest by corporate-caused climate change and to demand a fossil free future.
Call-a-thon for PHISLA
This October, during one of our chapter meetings, our members, alongside other Partners In Health Engage Chapters, called Senator Patty Murray in support of PHISLA (Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act). We were able to make about 20 calls to remind Senator Murray her future constituents are counting on her to defend the infrastructure needed to protect the right to health of American people. Guaranteed access to health requires a strong public health system, so our chapter called Sen. Murray to advocate for the strengthening of our country's public health infrastructure because this infrastructure saves lives.
Summer 2021 Highlights
Student-made Art Concession Stands
This past Summer, thanks to the Bainbridge Island Parks District, our chapter was able to hold two concession stands at the Battle Point Sounds of Summer Concerts. We sold student-made art, bracelets and caricatures; with all proceeds going directly to the Maternal Center of Excellence in Sierra Leone. Thanks to the generosity of the Parks District and the Bainbridge Island community, we raised over 400 dollars from these two stands and were able to educate and spread awareness within our community.
Moves for Maternal Health Yoga Event
This September, in partnership with the Island's Dayaalu Yoga Center, the BIYPIHE was able to combine our two favorite things: yoga and global health. We held an outdoor yoga event taught by Dayaalu's owner, Sue Steindorf, right here in Battle Point Park. All proceeds went directly to the Maternal Center of Excellence. This event raised over 200 dollars for the teaching hospital in Sierra Leone. We could not have done this without the support of the Dayaalu Yoga Center.
*All chapter fundraiser donations this year go to the Maternal Center of Excellence: a teaching hospital for mothers and children in Sierra Leone.
This Summer, the BIYPIHE raised over 1,200 dollars for the MCOE!
Raised Over $6,000 for PIH's Maternal Center of Excellence in Sierra Leone
This 2020-21 school year, through partnerships with local businesses Covet and Plum; personal fundraising and our virtual Strides in Solidarity event this Spring, our chapter was able to raise over 6,000 dollars for mothers and children in Sierra Leone. We were overwhelmed by the generosity of our community, despite the incredibly difficult time presented by the pandemic. These donations went directly to the Maternal Center of Excellence (MCOE), a state-of-the-art teaching hospital being built in the world's epicenter of maternal death.
Featured in Local Newspaper for NOVID Act
This July 2021, during Partners In Health Engage's campaign week, we published a brief opinion article advocating for the NOVID (Nullifying Opportunities for Variants to Infect and Decimate) Act in the Kitsap Sun. We outlined the goal of the act, the present situation of the global inequality of COVID-19 vaccinations, and called on Senators Murray and Cantwell to co-sponsor this act. The purpose of this newspaper feature was to spread awareness within our community and garner support for this crucial legislation.
Read the NOVID Act one-pager here!
Met with Members of Congress to Discuss the NOVID Act
Late this July 2021, we brought our mission to congress. We met with US Senator Maria Cantwell and the congressional representative of our district, Derek Kilmer, to discuss the NOVID (Nullifying Opportunities for Variants to Infect and Decimate) Act. We asked both Cantwell and Kilmer to sponsor the bill. We had great discussions with both congress people and were grateful for the opportunity to speak with them about issues we're passionate about. And we are especially grateful to Representative Kilmer to officially supporting the act!!
Official text of the bill can be found here!
Educating Ourselves
As principal as educating our community on Partners In Health and global health is, we believe it is equally as important our chapter is constantly learning more to ensure we have the knowledge to teach others and best further the mission of Partners In Health. Beginning in the Spring of 2021, we have held weekly meetings dedicated to learning more. This has looked like reading books and articles and watching lectures to come together to have challenging discussions. Our incredible education leads, MinWoo and Maxx have even been creating relevant educational presentations and presenting them to the rest of the chapter team as well. Our weekly chapter meetings, always consist of a global health related education segment.
Met With Rep. Derek Kilmer to Discuss COVID-19 Relief Plan
This past February, we arranged a meeting with Derek Kilmer, our congressional representative, to negotiate a COVID-19 relief plan which involves collectivizing and strengthening our healthcare workforce to mitigate the spread of the virus and to provide better care to their patients, as well as to speak on distributing funds from the United States to more impoverished parts of the world to enrich their healthcare systems.