Hear from Staff

José Rodriguez

Department: College of Pharmacy | Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Your experience with diversity and culture at HSC:
I am so proud to be part of an organization that so diligently fosters a culture of inclusion and belonging. As a staff member and alumnus I feel visible, understood, and most importantly, supported.

I believe that every day, we at the UNM Health Sciences Center leverage our dimensions of difference to realize our mission. Much like the cutting-edge research we conduct, and the world-class care we provide, our efforts around diversity and work culture distinguish us.

Mallery Quetawki

Department: College of Pharmacy | Community Environmental Health Program

Your experience with diversity and culture at HSC:
Working with CEHP has been rewarding because they have given me an opportunity to help create a platform that no one knew was missing when conducting research on tribal lands here in the US. By utilizing our Native Ways of Knowing and other cultural sensibilities I have been able to supplement existing methods of communication by using art to promote dialogue and bridge understanding between scientific research and the Native American communities we work with. These activities have shown me that UNMHSC supports a community of inclusiveness.

Science and health literacy methods can be more effective in Native American communities when it includes an element that is respectful of cultural sensitivities. There is still more work needed to simplify, translate, and culturally tailor science and medicine for Indigenous peoples in the US. These intersections of public health and the arts is in its infancy nationwide, but an immediate need in underserved areas here in the Southwest and UNM-COP can be proud to say we have “blazed-the-trail” as we are going into our 4th year of implementing visual art in our communication and translation efforts.