{"id":33517,"date":"2026-04-10T09:50:41","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T16:50:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/?p=33517"},"modified":"2026-04-10T12:29:53","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T19:29:53","slug":"promoting-awareness-and-inspiring-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/10\/promoting-awareness-and-inspiring-change","title":{"rendered":"Promoting awareness and inspiring change"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In 2023, the University of Washington Bothell launched the\u202fMaster of Science in Community Health & Social Justice<\/a>\u202fdegree program to address the urgent need for health professionals who understand the root causes of inequities and have the education to address them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program\u2019s curriculum appeals not only to students\u2019 career ambitions but also to their deeply personal, experience-informed goals to enact change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStudents drawn to our M.S. in Community Health & Social Justice are already committed to equity and justice,\u201d said Dr. Jody Early, professor in the\u202fSchool of Nursing & Health Studies.<\/a>\u00a0\u201cLearning how to harness the power of storytelling gives them a vehicle to connect their lived human experience to the systems-level change they came here to create.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spark for consciousness<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Information has the power to affect beliefs, but storytelling may be even more powerful. According to a study out of Harvard Business School,\u202fthe impact of statistics on beliefs fades by 73% over the course of\u202fa day\u202fwhile the average impact of stories decreases by only 33%. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In her health communication courses, Early teaches students that a well-crafted personal narrative can spark what educator and philosopher Paulo Freire called critical consciousness. \u201cIt\u2019s that moment when someone truly sees how social, political and economic forces shape people\u2019s lives \u2014 and feels compelled to do something about it,\u201d Early said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Data can be\u202fan\u202fimportant tool\u202fin revealing inequity and injustice, she noted, but storytelling is an invaluable platform for shining light on the real people behind the numbers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStories are the heart of social change and the \u2018why\u2019 that drives policy change and entire movements,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s not policy briefs or facts alone that move people to act. It\u2019s the human beings inside those policies.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Catalysts for change<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In her class, Early partners with \u201cNarrative Matters,\u201d a peer-reviewed journal that aims to amplify personal stories which carry a policy message and bring new voices into health policy debates. The journal\u2019s mission closely algins with the CHSJ program goals and gives students a real-world platform and audience for their work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early also\u202fshowcases\u202fhow others use storytelling to strengthen,\u202fuplift\u202fand empower communities \u2014 giving students the opportunity to learn from organizations such as the Urban Indian Health Institute, Public Health \u2013 Seattle & King County and Latinos Northwest Communications. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen students discover that their own story has the power to shift someone\u2019s perspective or inspire someone to take action,\u201d she said, \u201cit transforms not just their advocacy but their sense of themselves as catalysts for change.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the articles below, explore how current and past CHSJ students are fueled by their\u202fpersonal experiences, and how they\u202fleverage\u202fthe power of storytelling to inspire broader systemic change around the issues they care about most.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explore the personal stories of CHSJ students :<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure>
\n

Harkirat Kaur<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As a graduate student majoring in Community Health & Social Justice, Harkirat Kaur aims to use storytelling as a bridge between communities and decision makers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“A lot of the youth out there, even if they want to get help, are faced with a system that is\u202freally hard\u202fto navigate.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Read the story<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure>
\n

Eirene Fudenna<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

From a medical crisis to financial fear, Eirene Fudenna\u2019s journey to public health was a personal one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is clear that health care in the U.S. has to be stripped down to its bones and rebuilt with well-being for all in mind.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Read the story<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure>
\n

LaNiqua Bell<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After the death of her son, LaNiqua Bell wants to prevent future mothers from suffering the same fate by advocating for equity in health care. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom the beginning, my work has always been about giving access to people who don\u2019t have it and helping to level the playing field.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
read the story<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

Explore the personal stories of CHSJ alumni:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure>
\n

Jacqueline Richards<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Richards graduated from the UW Bothell with a master\u2019s degree in CHSJ. From selecting classes to pursuing research opportunities, her experiences were the driving force behind everything she did, including a fellowship with the UW\u2019s Latino Center for Health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Read the story<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

During National Public Health Week, we\u2019re spotlighting the personal stories that drive students and alumni to pursue careers in community health and social justice. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121,"featured_media":33525,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_is_archived":false,"_archived_contact_email":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[202,252,200,204],"tags":[],"school":[420],"class_list":["post-33517","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-campus-news","category-population-health","category-profiles","category-students","school-school-of-nhs"],"acf":{"related_links":{"toggle_visibility":false,"link_1":"","link_2":"","link_3":"","link_4":"","link_5":""},"highlight_box":{"toggle_visibility":false,"title":"","content":"","button":"","button_style":"angled-purple-button","button_screen_reader_text":""},"contact_type_1":{"toggle_visibility":true,"contact_title":"","email":"","phone":"","box":"","address_line_1":"","address_line_2":"","location":""},"contact_type_2":{"toggle_visibility":false,"contact_title":"","email":"","phone":"","box":"","address_line_1":"","address_line_2":"","location":""},"social_media":{"toggle_visibility":false,"facebook_url":"","instagram_url":"","linkedin_url":"","twitter_url":"","youtube_url":""},"blog_archive_sidebar_visibility":false},"yoast_head":"\nPromoting awareness and inspiring change - 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