You’re invited to join the celebration at our epic 12th Annual San Mateo County Pride Celebration! Kick off the celebration with us at our 2nd Annual Pride Parade beginning at 2nd Street & B Street in San Mateo at 10am. The parade will make its way to the Pride Celebration at San Mateo Central Park from 11am to 5pm.
This event is free and sober. Come enjoy resource and vendor booths, entertainment, food trucks, live DJ, and more!
One important aspect of self-care involves caring for our physical well-being, extending beyond solely exercising. Physical self-care is crucial for maintaining overall health and enhancing our quality of life. Our daily habits significantly influence our well-being, whether we realize it or not. Engaging in intentional physical self-care practices such as prioritizing physical fitness, adopting healthy eating habits, staying informed about medical issues, preventing diseases, avoiding injuries, and maintaining healthy sleep patterns can greatly contribute to our overall well-being.
By consciously practicing physical self-care and cultivating awareness, we can become attuned to bodily sensations that we may have previously overlooked. This heightened awareness enables us to make informed choices that promote our health and wellness.
Physical self-care encompasses a variety of activities, including, but not limited to:
Consistently eating nutritious meals
Regular exercise routines
Seeking regular preventive medical care and timely treatment when necessary
Allowing ourselves adequate rest when ill
Incorporating massages into our routine for relaxation and muscle health
Spending quality time with a partner or loved ones
Ensuring sufficient sleep
Wearing clothing that makes us feel comfortable and confident
Taking breaks and vacations to recharge and rejuvenate
The possibilities for physical self-care are diverse and adaptable to individual preferences and needs. By prioritizing our physical well-being through these practices, we can nurture a healthier and more fulfilling life.
A key aspect of my physical self-care routine involves engaging in strength training and running. Engaging in strength training and running offers me a precious chance to immerse myself in the present moment, away from the pressures of daily life. During these activities, I find peace in focusing solely on the task at hand. By the end of my workouts, I often discover that either my previous worries have faded away, or I’ve unconsciously discovered solutions to my concerns simply by allowing myself to pause and be fully present in the moment.
The Chinese Health Initiative (CHI) hosted a celebration gathering on Friday, February 5, 2024, with its members to honor the Lunar New Year and to build community. The meeting was filled with traditional Lunar New Year snacks and decorations. Over 20 members shared their favorite Lunar New Year memory growing up, learned more about Lunar New Year, played games, and practiced Laughing Yoga, led by Alysa Stanford from wellness program. The room was filled with laughter and joy. It was a successful celebration to welcome the Year of the Dragon with the community!
To learn more information about Chinese Health Initiative, visit SMCHealth.org/CHI.
We are so blessed to be surrounded by a multitude of cultures, thoughts, and perspectives within our workplace. Every day we have opportunities to connect and effectively communicate when others are willing to share, and we are willing to listen. Overall, our workplace can be a great place to celebrate our cultures coming together. Here are some examples of how we can celebrate culture in the workplace!
Connection: As we continue sharing stories, experiences, and learn similarities among each other, we can connect on different levels which fosters growth within our workforce and trust within the communities we serve. For example, many cultures place heavy importance on family, particularly elders which may guide decision making. Furthermore, at times, especially when the events of the world feel darker and our hearts feel heavy, connections help draw us back to each other and to the challenges that we can only overcome together. These struggles remind us of the fragility of humanity and that work, though seemingly an isolated space, is still yet another environment where we can potentially grow and heal with others.
Communication: Communication has always been key to increased understanding, but the key to communication can differ depending on the individual and their culture. Learning about the values of our teammates and the way they work can be vital in our efforts to collaborate, achieve work goals and overcome challenges. For example, within BHRS’ Office of Diversity & Equity, our team’s simple but important discussion of love languages helps us support each other more effectively. This deeper understanding gives insight about how to lift one another up. In turn, the creation of these environments allows for a better space to be productive and progressive.
Celebration: Culture is such a great thing to celebrate! From the preservation of language, art, holidays, to traditions, our workforce represents such a range of exciting backgrounds. Each lens reflects the hearts of the individuals within our workforce and the unique perspectives that we can access as we evolve our approaches to care.
My hope is that we continue to embrace culture within the workplace, ask questions and celebrate the beauty of our melding cultures!
Islamophobia and antisemitism are on the rise locally due to international events. People in our community have lost loved ones, experienced increased hate and divisiveness, and some have lost a sense of belonging and community.
The County of San Mateo Office of Racial and Social Justice is partnering with the Islamic Networks Group (ING), County Health’s Office of Diversity and Equity, the Spirituality Initiative, and the Peninsula Solidarity Cohort to host a webinar to increase understanding and belonging as we acknowledge the experiences of many Jewish, Muslim, Israeli, Palestinian, and Arab communities, among others in San Mateo County, and strive towards connecting across our shared humanity.
Zoom Webinar Event: Honoring our Shared Humanity: Countering Islamophobia and Antisemitism Date/Time: Thursday, February 29th, 5:00 pm – 6:15 pm Register:http://bit.ly/smcsharedhumanity Interpretation Available: Arabic, Mandarin, and Spanish.
We would like to make this webinar accessible. If you have other language needs or methods that can help increase accessibility for you, please email us by 2/22: equitysmc@smcgov.org.
The live webinar will feature Maha Elgenaidi and Karen Stiller, Muslim and Jewish speakers from the ING Interfaith Speakers Bureau, in a facilitated conversation and Q&A with Pastor Bussey, co-chair of the Peninsula Solidarity Cohort. The webinar will address the following topics:
Understanding the history of Islamophobia and antisemitism and how they manifest today.
How to counter both forms of bigotry.
We hope you can join us in support of our shared humanity across all our diverse communities in San Mateo County.
**Please note, attached are outreach materials in Arabic, Mandarin, and Spanish.**
My Journey, My MHSA! Thanks to MHSA funding, our programs at Behavioral Health and Recovery Services are transforming lives in San Mateo County. Your support is what keeps us going. Let’s create a healthier community together!
What is MHSA? The Mental Health Service Act is funded by taking one percent of the income tax paid by people who earn over $1 million each year and allocating that funding to counties to support mental and behavioral health services and programs.
Continue following us for further information about My Journey, My MHSA and its impact on our communities.
Attached is information on a survey that the California Department of Aging (CDA) is conducting on LGBTQ+ older adults. Survey can be found on flyer or through this link.
Please share this information with your community (the flyer has a link to the survey) and encourage folks to complete it.
Please reach out to Ranjana Maharaj, Elder Justice Specialist with CA Department of Aging with any questions at EngAGE@aging.ca.gov or 916-272-0738.
Self-care has been increasing in popularity throughout the last few years, especially during the pandemic. Self-care is not just a luxury; it’s a fundamental necessity for maintaining overall well-being. It encompasses intentional actions and practices that prioritize your physical, mental, and emotional health. By dedicating time to self-care, you invest in yourself, fostering resilience and balance in the face of life’s challenges.
The benefits of regular self-care are profound. Physically, it can enhance your immune system, improve sleep, and boost energy levels. Emotionally, self-care provides a vital space for reflection and relaxation, helping to manage stress and prevent burnout. Additionally, it nurtures a positive mindset, enhancing emotional resilience and fostering a greater sense of self-worth.
Self-care encourages self-awareness and self-compassion. It empowers individuals to set boundaries, prioritize their needs, and cultivate a healthier relationship with themselves. Ultimately, practicing self-care is an investment in your long-term health and happiness, enabling you to navigate life’s complexities with greater ease and authenticity
Though self-care comes in several different forms; however, this series will focus on physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual, and workplace balance with a sneak peek into how I implement these practices, so come along with me as we embark on a journey to explore new self-care tips and tricks to build a stronger body, mind and soul. Let’s transform those Self Care Sundays into healing every day!
All except one of our meetings is scheduled to meet virtually. Please see above for details. You can find agenda, minutes and recordings at this website. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, please let us know. We plan to share the meeting recordings and minutes in case anyone wants to catch up or review the meetings. Contact us for questions, comments and suggestions.
Please help us share this message or attached flyer on social media to help us spread the word.
Looking forward to collaborating with you! Sylvia & Kristie Co-Chairs, May Mental Health Month Planning Committee Meeting
I am excited to announce that the Parent Project® Spring 2024 semester is finally here! Please help spread the word about our Spring 2024 semester by sharing the flyers attached below with your networks and referring your clients to our classes. This semester will feature one virtual English class, beginning on Wednesday, February 28th, and one in-person Spanish class beginning on Thursday, February 29th. Please see the attached flyers for more information. We are expecting to provide more classes beginning in March, so please keep an eye out for my emails in the coming months for more class updates!
If you would like to learn more about the Parent Project® program, or if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me via my email or phone number at nkelleher@smcgov.org or (650) 649-8411.
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