New Civic Engagement Assignment Takes Salk Fellows Beyond the Classroom

This year, the Jewish Healthcare Foundation’s (JHF) Salk Health Activist Fellowship challenged participants to take their advocacy beyond the classroom and into their communities through a new civic engagement assignment.

Introduced as part of the 2026 fellowship’s focus on the social determinants of health, the assignment encouraged fellows to explore how civic participation can influence the policies, systems, and community conditions that shape health and well-being.

Each of the 28 fellows was asked to verify their voter registration information and help a family member, friend, or community member do the same. Fellows also selected anadditional activity, such as contacting their elected official, attending a public meeting, contributing to public dialogue, supporting nonpartisan voter participation, or volunteering with a community organization.

The goal of the assignment was to move beyond understanding how policy affects health to gaining firsthand experience in the many ways individuals can participate in shaping healthier, more equitable communities.

For three fellows, the assignment opened doors to experiences that were deeply personal, professionally meaningful, and, in some cases, the beginning of an ongoing commitment to advocacy.

Finding Accountability and Healing Through Dialogue

“My favorite part was the Q&A session, where I was able to speak candidly with inmates who had questions about everything from forgiveness and redemption to parenting amid trauma,” reflected Gardner, who added that it was so meaningful that she has already committed to speaking at a women’s correctional facility in the near future.

Discovering a pathway to policy advocacy

For fellow María Fernanda Pineda Frutos, MD, a physician trained in Mexico who specializes in pediatrics and neonatology, the assignment provided the impetus to take action on an issue close to herprofessional experience: improving licensing pathways for internationally trained physicians.

Since moving to Pittsburgh nearly four years ago, Dr. Pineda has encountered physicians with extensive training and experience who face significant barriers to practicing medicine in the United States, even as communities are impacted by healthcare workforce shortages.

Initially uncertain whether the issue was receiving legislative attention, the Salk Fellowship assignment led her to research and learn more. She discovered that Pennsylvania lawmakers had already introduced proposals addressing some of these challenges.

She reached out to State Reps. Danilo Burgos and Arvind Venkat to share her perspective and encourage consideration of more accessible examination processes that maintain rigorous professional standards. Both Representatives responded, and they have had ongoing dialogue with her. She shared that theexperience helped her recognize that meaningful advocacy can begin with something as simple as reaching out to start a conversation.

“Many times, we do nothing because we believe there’s nothing we can do,” Dr. Pineda reflected.

She added that learning that policymakers were already exploring opportunities to reduce barriers for internationally trained physicians gave her renewed motivation to continue advocating for change.

Finding Dignity and Connection Through Community Service

For fellow Tawanda Morand, the assignment led to a volunteer shift at the Wilkinsburg Free Store, operated by Civically, Inc., an organization led by Salk Fellowship alumna Marita Garrett, who also spoke to this year's cohort. The Free Store provides community members with clothing, food, household items, and other necessities at no cost.

Throughout the morning, she encountered people of different ages and backgrounds, including expectant mothers looking for newborn essentials, parents selecting school clothes for their children, and a young woman searching for an outfit for an upcoming job interview.

By engaging in practical tasks like organizing clothing racks, managing the "checkout" process, coordinating shopper flow, and helping community member find the essential resources they needed, she discovered the Free Store offers something equally important: the dignity of choice.

“I realized that dignity is at the heart of this type of community service,” Morand reflected. “The Free Store gives people the opportunity to choose what they need for themselves and their families rather than simply being handed whatever someone else decides they should receive.”

The experience left a lasting impression on Morand, who has committed to volunteering at the Free Store at least once a month moving forward.

Turning Civic Participation into Lasting Action

The civic engagement assignment reflects a central theme of this year's nine-week Salk Health Activist Fellowship: Improving health requires looking beyond clinical care to the policies, institutions, and everyday conditions that influence people's lives.

Led by JHF Policy Director Carolyn Byrnes, MPH, CPH, the fellowship brings together emerging health leaders to explore issues including housing, food access, transportation, economic opportunity, and healthcare access, while developing the skills to advocate for meaningful change.

As fellows prepare to conclude the program in November by presenting policy recommendations aimed at improving social determinants of health in Pennsylvania, their civic engagement experiences offer an important reminder that advocacy takes many forms.

"I believe meaningful change starts when we take the time to listen and learn, and are willing to act. Whether meeting with an elected official, attending a public meeting, or volunteering in your community, these experiences help us better understand our neighbors, their needs, and the issues that affect their lives. That understanding is what makes us stronger, more effective advocates," said JHF Policy Director Carolyn Byrnes, MPH, CPH. "I am so proud of the fellows for putting what they have learned into action and taking meaningful steps to improve the health of their communities."