Maya Gwynn
With KVCR Public Media, I'm Maya Gwynn with Black Perspectives IE, a show where we learn about the amazing things members of the Black community are doing in the Inland Empire. My guest today is Cornelius Page, Founder and Executive Director of Community Health Action Network, and we're also joined by Sir Daniel Duplechan, board member of Community Health Action Network. Thank you so much for being here, you guys.
Cornelius Page
No, thank you. We appreciate the invitation.
Maya Gwynn
So, your organization has spent several years serving families across the region. What are some of the most persistent challenges you see families facing in our area today? And how have those changes shifted over time?
Cornelius Page
Some of the challenges that we see, we are based highly in the High Desert, and this is one of the things that we see for some of the families that are struggling with their utilities, a big thing that unfortunately has been happening pretty much in the High Desert. So we're trying to target that and help them to be able to come into compliance, but not just giving out the money. We do offer what we call a financial literacy workshop, but I have to tweak it a little bit. We took it up a notch and call it Smart Money Mindset to get those that want to get out of debt, and this was brought on because we see so much that's coming into our city that really touched my heart. And we find ourselves going not only one month, two months, but three months and more behind the schedule, and partnering up with the county gave us the opportunity to be able to sow that seed and bring them out of that debt, but we had to challenge ourselves to get them completely in compliance and able to get back into the workforce. So we also created a job workforce development to help them to be able to get out of that, and we've been doing it for the past three years, and we're now going for another funding to be able to help them take their mortgage payment and rental completely back down, so it's a lot that goes on in the High Desert. But this is one of the biggest things that I see.
Maya Gwynn
Yeah, and I'm so happy you guys are out there and specifically talking about that. I love your organization's mission: dedicated to serving families across the High Desert, helping people help themselves through hands-on support, practical education and community-based services. Sir, this question is for you. The High Desert is often overlooked in regional policy and funding conversation. How does that invisibility impact community health outcomes? What does your organization do to bridge those gaps?
Sir Daniel Duplechan
Well, the High Desert is impacted greatly, because already, as a region, San Bernardino County, we already get less than other counties. We are the largest nation. Yeah, proportionally, we don't get that kind of funding, and so just imagine being the smaller brother of that entity that's not getting that much money. So, we get even less up the hill, and so we do is we have to collaborate, we have to work together. I'm on the board for Community Health Action Network, but I also run an organization myself, and so we partner a lot. We partner with Second Chance, we partner with Family Assistance, we partner with several organizations in order to make sure that we're able to meet the need of the community, because none of us can do it on our own.
Maya Gwynn
Black and brown communities often experience layered health inequities. How does your organization address the intersections of race, economic insecurity, and access to care?
Sir Daniel Duplechan
Well, we're intentional, especially in the High Desert, where everyone is scattered, if you will. We don't have just one black neighborhood, and so we have black people spread all over the High Desert, and so we're intentional on making sure that we're reaching out to them, make sure that they know about the services, the opportunities, and helping us all work together.
Cornelius Page
And one of the things that is very sufficient is that we want them to come out, but let's be real, they don't come out, so we have to go to where they're at. Once they know about it, guess what, everybody's now calling. We have to be able to reach them at their level.
Maya Gwynn
Do you have a success story that kind of represents what your organization's mission is?
Sir Daniel Duplechan
Well, I've seen several, you know, since I've been on the board. The reason why I'm so involved with which Community Health Action Network does, the reason why I'm willing to devote my time, energy, and effort, and I believe in the mission is because I've actually been a recipient myself. There was a time where I didn't have the money to pay my bills, and CHAN showed up for me and has helped me, you know, through that tough time, and it changed my life, you know, because I didn't think that there were resources out there that were like that. Since then, I've been able to partner with CJ in order to teach these parenting classes, and when I see that light go off in people's eyes when they actually get it, because what we're doing is we're creating a mind change, we're trying to teach a cultural change. Traditionally, we think that to discipline someone, we have to punish them by beating them, you know, whoop them, you know, because that comes from slavery, you know, that's how we were brought up, that's how our mama did it, mama's mamas did it, you know, and so forth and so on, but when we're teaching this parenting class and we're showing that by encouraging and showing gratitude to our children that you don't have those instances of having to use corporal punishment anymore, you know, showing people a different way and a different path, and I see that light go off in their eyes. There's nothing like it.
Maya Gwynn
We're gonna move to our rapid fire portion. So, just whoever says it first, because I've never done with two people before. If your work had a theme song, what would it be?
Cornelius Page
My Tribute… “to God be the glory for all the things that He have done” is originally written by Andraé Crouch. We asked that question several years back with our parenting class, and that's the thing that resonates with me. My tribute, because I'm so humbly blessed to be in this situation, don't have anything, but God always, through the partnership that Sir Daniel have talked about of our community have kept us sustained, and we've been doing this since 2009. It’s not the monetary money that comes in, but it's the partnership that we can lean on. Don't get me wrong, we love to have those financials that can keep us sustained and help us, but we don't look to that, we look to our partners who are doing something who is more healthier than what we are to give us the things that we are need, and so far it's been good. Think about it for a second. You know, we don't have the funds to continuously pay for the utility, but always finds a way to be able to help them pay their bill. We don't have all the commodities that come in with the food distribution that takes place, but we never miss the beat. If a family calls today, I'm blessed to be able to give them an emergency food voucher, $25 $50 to be able to help them get through the day with the referral of different partnerships that is continuously carrying the food distribution. So I am truly blessed by that. That's what resonates with me. My tribute to God be the glory for all the things that you have done.
Maya Gwynn
That's a great answer. And for you, if you have to teach a master class or give a TED talk on a random skill you have, besides the work you already do, what would it be?
Sir Daniel Duplechan
It would have to be on love, you know. My goal is to get everyone to understand that love is selflessness.
Maya Gwynn
And for both of you, what's your favorite IE restaurant or high desert restaurant?
Sir Daniel Duplechan
I would have to say, because I go every week is Hallelujah BBQ, located in Apple Valley.
Cornelius Page
Well I will say that in my area, I love Ponchos. Ponchos is good because I get the shrimp with the garlic shrimp. So I won't elaborate too much on that, because I get hungry pretty quickly, yeah. But that's our meeting place that we go, and it's in the High Desert.
Maya Gwynn
Okay. And how can people keep up with you guys and support your organization?
Sir Daniel Duplechan
Well, they can keep up with us on our Facebook page, which is all they got to do is find Chan C H A N Community Health Action Network 2007. Follow us or like us, and it continues to give you everything that we're getting ready to do.
Maya Gwynn
That's awesome. Thank you so much for being here today, you guys. I really appreciate this conversation.
Cornelius Page
Well, thank you very much for having us. We appreciate it.
Maya Gwynn
Of course. Cornelius Page is Founder and Executive Director of Community Health Action Network, and Sir Daniel Duplechan is a board member of the Community Health Action Network. Find this segment and others at KVCRnews.org/bpie. Support for this segment comes from the Black Equity Fund at IECF, advancing racial equity and supporting long-term investments in Black-led organizations in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Join us again next week for Black Perspectives IE. For KVCR Public Media, I'm Maya Gwynn. Thank you.
