“Hola, me llamo Alice y soy una navegante de paciente” (Hello, my name is Alice and I am a patient navigator) by Alice Choe

My Spanish fluency is a bit like a superpower at my host site Maria de los Santos (MdlS) Health Center. Many of our patients are Puerto Rican or Dominican immigrants, and my language abilities are an extension of myself that opens pathways for communication with patients that would not otherwise be possible. A majority of the clinical and support staff, providers, and care coordinators can understand and speak Spanish, and it is incredible to be part of this greater MdlS team. As part of compassionate, culturally responsible care, I am proud to offer services to members of the North Philadelphia community with dignity and respect. 

Day to day, my role has included navigating mammogram referrals, explaining how to complete take-home colorectal cancer tests, sharing community resources that address social determinants of health, and instructing patients through self-administered COVID swab tests. While many of these activities initially occurred over the phone, as my role has shifted to prioritize COVID-19 vaccine distribution to our patients, I have started to interact with many of them in person. Oftentimes, when I call out names in the waiting room or do pre-screeners with patients, I receive the question, “how is your Spanish so good?” To this, I respond good-naturedly that I’ve been learning and practicing Spanish for the greater part of 10 years. 

It all started in 7th grade when I had the option between learning Spanish or French. Being a pragmatic child, I chose Spanish with the reasoning that there were more Spanish speakers in the US and in the communities surrounding me. While in college, I continued to nurture my passion for the language by taking courses that explored the history, literature, and art of Spanish-speaking countries. During my junior year, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Chile and to intern at a community health center there. It was my time at the Centro de Salud Familiar in Plana Ancha that drew me to the field of public health. I learned there about how social inequity and poverty were determining factors in one’s wellbeing. I also witnessed the power of social participation and promotion that allowed community members to take charge of their individual health and the health of their communities. 

When the COVID-19 pandemic brought an abrupt end to my college experience, I volunteered at a grassroots mutual aid group at home that organized food delivery and distribution sites for neighbors who were experiencing job loss, confined at home, or impacted by other external factors. Every week, I translated at a food distribution site in front of a local elementary school and delivered groceries to seniors, sick individuals, and working families. I saw distinctly how the pandemic was impacting Black and Brown people disproportionately in my own hometown as it has for these communities all across the country. Even now, the inequities in vaccine distribution among the African American and Hispanic populations are a reflection of the structural racism and segregation that have led to longstanding barriers to care. I view my language abilities and desire to continue to work with Latinx communities at community-based organizations, such as MdlS, as one step to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes. 

If I told my younger self that her journey with the Spanish language would lead her across the world, to her own backyard, and to the city of brotherly/sisterly love, she would not have believed it. I do not take for granted that in each of these settings, I have been welcomed as a student, community member, and healthcare worker. As an Asian-American woman who speaks Spanish better than Korean, I occupy a unique space and identity that I continue to grapple with and hope to continue to share with others.