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  Cross-cultural awareness in public health.

As Outreach Coordinator for the Governor's Interagency Council on Health Disparities since 2008, Tamara Fulwyler has continued her lifelong work of helping provide resources to those in need.

"Health disparities" refers to a disproportionate burden of disease, disability and death among a particular population or group. The disease burden for racial and ethnic minorities in Washington State is significantly higher than it is for Caucasians.

Tamara works for the Washington State Board of Health on issues of health disparities. The Board of Health provides a citizen forum for the development of public health policy. It recommends strategies and promotes health goals to the Legislature and regulates a number of health activities including drinking water, immunizations and food handling.

"I understand the importance of policy work," she says, adding that the best work is done by the people who are most impacted by it—“women, minorities, the disempowered, the marginalized."

Cross-cultural awareness is an important aspect of Tamara's job. She works with a variety of culturally diverse communities—Tribal, Latino, African-American, Asian—learning what they need and linking them to other partners.

Through her work with the Board of Health and the Council on Health Disparities, Tamara has coordinated statewide efforts to improve communication with multicultural communities. Last year, the Council published the Washington Multicultural Health Communication Directory to help identify culturally and linguistically diverse communities in each county.

She sums up her work this way: "Where there are people doing health equity work, we try to make sure we're a resource for them by providing information, access to key people and other support. I get up every day and I'm happy to come here because I think, 'Who can I help today?'”