On January 31, several UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson Department of Family and Community Medicine faculty participated in Addressing Refugee Health Disparities: Exploring Refugee Health Programs at the University of Arizona, an inaugural conference dedicated to improving the resources available for refugees in Arizona. The conference was an excellent opportunity for sharing resources, networking, and collaboration among organizations serving refugees in Arizona.

During my time as an undergraduate intern at the Sonoran Center, I had the pleasure of working closely with Dr. Lynne Tomasa. Lynne asked me if I was interested in writing a section for the workbook on topics I had been researching. I was ecstatic and could not believe I was presented the opportunity to do something like this as an intern.

n celebration of Black History Month, on February 14 and 15 the African American Conference on Disabilities (AACD) held a virtual preview with four sessions. The virtual preview, hosted by Disability Rights Arizona (formerly known as the Arizona Center for Disability Law) with support from the Sonoran Center, attracted attendees from around the world and offered a look into the informative and unique experiences that will be present at the in-person conference to be held in June.

Sonoran Center peer mentor Gabe Martinez was spotlighted in this article from the University of Arizona Health Sciences.

During the Spring semester of 2021, I was honored to work at ArtWorks. To bring something new to the incredible work that ArtWorks already does, I decided on yoga because I have found yoga to be healing both mentally and physically.

People with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) develop Alzheimer’s disease or other related dementia just as frequently as other aging adults. However, some may face an increased risk (e.g., 60% of people with Down syndrome by age 60). Aging related functional and memory changes can be hard to identify for people with I/DD.

My experience with ArtWorks was enriching, as I joined their scrapbooking project that aimed to help individuals with developmental disabilities create a person-centered book about themselves. I strongly believe that such projects are critical in emphasizing the importance of person-centered planning and advocacy for individuals with disabilities.

This month is dedicated to paying tribute to the many generations of African American men and women. Through many trials and tribulations, a spotlight is focused on the achievements of African Americans in our country, despite a long history of racism and oppression. The following is a compilation of various Black authors who allow us a glimpse into their world by sharing individual experiences.

On Friday, January 12, Artworks unveiled their new exhibition: Face2Face. The opening event took place from 5 to 7 PM in the UArizona BIO5 building. The artists created portraits that illustrated their personalities, interests, hobbies, and personal journeys.

For this month's Staff Spotlight, we sat down with Heather Dietrich to discuss Project SEARCH, Employment First, and competitive integrated employment in Arizona.