houston family magazine
20
AUGUST 2020
with, however, it is a skill that can be learned and developed. Resiliency is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant source of stress, such a family and relationship problems, health issues, and financial stressors. Our focus on resiliency is what sets us apart from other health education organizations. My role as Executive Director encompasses all aspects of the organization from fundraising and finance to programs and publications. On any given day I will have worked on or with accountants, our PR firm and grant writer, board members, community partners, staff or been the face of the organization with the media or donors. I consider myself a generalist since I touch every aspect of the business fluidly.
interview by Kimberly Davis Guerra | photos by Al Torres Photography Inc.
i am houston
LINDA RHODES
I AM HOUSTON | EMPOWERED HOUSTONIANS
T
his month we talk to Linda Rhodes, Executive Director of The Women’s Fund for Health Education and Resiliency. The Women’s Fund serves close to 12,000 women and adolescent girls and distributes 9,913 publications each year. Using her strength in bringing individuals and teams together, Rhodes has been able to collaborate with community partners to provide The Women’s Fund programing and resources free of charge to the communities with limited access to health information. The Women’s Fund has pivoted all programing online and at no cost in order to continue serving the community and providing tools needed to be resilient and healthy during the pandemic.
TELL US MORE ABOUT THE WOMEN’S HEALTH FUND AND YOUR ROLE THERE. The Women’s Fund is a nonprofit dedicated to providing Houston-area women and girls with the tools they need to be advocates for their health. For 41 years, The Women’s Fund has been educating girls and women through classes, workshops, lectures and publications. Our programs focus on seven of the eight dimensions of health and wellness as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), which includes: emotional, intellectual, physical,
environmental, financial, occupational, and social. It’s a holistic approach to good health and wellness. You cannot achieve optimal physical and mental health if you are in an unhealthy relationship, struggling with your finances, or having problems managing or coping with stress. Our program participants learn resiliency skills to increase self-efficacy, decision-making, goal setting, communication and resourcefulness to be their own health advocates and ensure positive health outcomes for individuals and communities. Resiliency is not a trait that we are inherently born
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE ONE BIGGEST CHALLENGE TODAY FOR WOMEN? FOR YOUNG WOMEN? Prioritizing our physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing! For women in particular, prioritizing our health is a huge challenge. Most women, including me, take care of everyone else in the family first and then when they find the time (which is almost never), schedule that well-woman check-up. It is vital that we, as women, make our health a priority because when a health issue develops, it becomes much more difficult to take care of those we love. Additionally, it is hard to prioritize health care when the financial impact is costly or you do not have access to health care. More than 25% of residents in Harris County are uninsured and of those, the majority are low-income, ethnic minority and female. While there are multiple health care resources available for adolescents under the age of 18, resources for adults are not as readily available. This leads me to the second part of my response which applies to both women and girls, the health information gap.
