Fall 2018
Partnership News
Front Feature
A ripple effect
Community Wellness: Harland Free Mental Health Clinic
By Julianne Rabb
UNP is pleased to introduce an exciting project focused on community wellness and mental health issues: Hartland Free Mental Health Clinic. In partnership with the University of Utah School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and The University of Utah College of Social Work, the Hartland Free Mental Health Clinic provides culturally responsive mental health support for uninsured adults of immigrant, asylum seeking and refugee background.
In addition to psychiatric care, residents have access to therapeutic interventions and case management support with social work students that are engaged in community based field education. Interpreter services are offered in all languages.
For more information about upcoming clinic dates, or to make an appointment, please call 801-259-0857.
Building a Legacy
15 Years of Creating New Stories
Stories. Dozens of stories. Hundreds of stories.
A personal story...a friend's story...a partner's story...a child's story...a mother's...a
grandfather's...a student's...a colleague's...an organization's...an institution's...a
family's...a community's.
By Kim Schmit
Over the last year I have had the privilege of sitting down with you; the partners and staff of UNP, to hear the stories that you want to tell; the stories you want heard. Surprisingly, most often the stories have been unsolicited and you have come with eagerness to share someone else’s experience…to sing another’s success. Aware that I am at UNP to learn about our communal impact over the last fifteen years, you have approached me because you know that your story is integral to this understanding and indeed it is.
Each story has been profound to hear, offering a space for inquiry and understanding. The excitement in which you have told another’s experience stands in glowing contrast to the perception, and danger, that we live only in an individualized society. The kinds of stories shared have provided rich contextual information to the impact numbers we have collected. The fact that UNP is still listening, provides assurance of our role in the community. And, as I have worked to weave these stories together a deeper and more complex narrative is being revealed…one of a changing community; a place where trust is being extended to new relationships, the value of access to higher education is being actualized and we are all seeing a little clearer.
In hopes of sharing these stories, along with the details of our impact over the last fifteen years, UNP will be providing a variety of resources to you over the next few months. Soon you will receive Community Voices, our annual publication that this year is a 15-year anniversary edition. In April, we will also unveil four short films about our work, as well as host a community celebration. In May, a presentation and report will be made to the UNP Advisory Board.
All in all, this process has left me full, invigorated, and connected. Your stories exemplify the wisdom, tenacity and grace of this endeavor and for me they have been formative and your friendship, gifts. Thank you for sharing your stories. As we move forward into the next 15 years, I hope that what has been shared helps us to create together a whole new array of stories that we cannot even yet imagine.
Happy Birthday UNP!
Community Councils
By Abdulkhaliq Mohamed
The west side of Salt Lake City is represented by six community councils. Located in the heart of the city, within its most ethnically diverse neighborhoods, they are neighborhood democracy in its purest form. The council boards are made up of community leaders who were elected by local residents. They meet with residents monthly to hear their concerns, initiate community improvement projects, and enhance the identity, image, and visibility of the neighborhoods. The community councils are nonprofit organizations and are recognized by the city government, allowing them to disseminate information and take in public comment.
The community councils located on the west side include Fairpark, Poplar Grove, Jordan Meadows, Rose Park, Glendale, and Westpointe.
The Neighborhood Democracy partnership connects with all six of these groups for support, training, and research.
You can learn more about all of Salt Lake City’s community councils, their boundaries, and more on their website at www.slcgov.com/community-councils.
Glendale Community Council Highlight
By Dane Hess, Chair of Glendale Community Council
I am happy to have been recently elected as Chair of the Glendale Community Council. The board is made up of a diverse group of dedicated community members with various skills, interests, and passions. Joel Cannon, Ashley King, Jen Lopez, and Billy Palmer all bring extensive experience and varied perspectives to our council. I am looking forward to combining our efforts toward building on the successes of what is already working in our neighborhood, including the work of past councils.
We all agree that our council's main job is to represent our community's interests with the city. We believe that in order to do this, we must know what our community members want most. The best way for us to gather this information and for community members to directly interact with elected officials is through participation in our council meetings. Historically, however, the voices and bodies of people of color, who make up the majority of our neighborhood, have been made to feel less welcome at these meetings. For this reason, we have prioritized outreach to underrepresented communities and are committing to making our meetings more approachable, engaging, and meaningful.
I was motivated to run for the position of chair in order to have a larger platform
for two of my greatest passions: education and recreation. I am a social worker and
educator by training and profession. I look forward to furthering investment into
education opportunities in our neighborhood, including exploring the possibilities
for the creation of a Glendale High School and University of Utah satellite campus.
I also love to recreate along and on the Jordan River, the heart of our community. I hope to be able to continue conversations and projects that highlight the Jordan River and the Parkway Trail as assets and viable, accessible recreation options. I look forward to working with partners from various organizations and city entities to accomplish these goals. If you would like to participate with us, please come out to our council meetings. They are held every third Wednesday at 7 PM at the Glendale Library. You can email us at gccboard@googlegroups.com and follow us on Facebook: Glendale Community Council.
Youth Community Advocate receives prestigious MLK, Jr. Youth Leadership Award
By Jewel Morgan and Alma Yanagu
Congratulations to UNP Youth Community Advocate Elizabeth Barajas, who was presented with the MLK Jr. Youth Leadership Award this January. The award, which is sponsored by the University of Utah’s Alumni Association with the Office for Equity and Diversity, recognizes outstanding leadership in promoting the principles of social justice, positive change, and building cultural and community bridges as espoused by the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Elizabeth has been one of UNP’s Youth Community Advocates for about nine years. She
has a parent and two siblings who are also Community Advocates with other historical
connections to various partnerships. Her mother, Maria, was the 2010–11 UNP Community
Resident in Action Award recipient.
Many Youth Community Advocates have parents who are part of the Community Advocate network and may have been exposed to the meetings and activities from a very early age, but they can become participants when they enter middle/junior high school through early adulthood. The group comes together at monthly meetings to have conversations about things that are happening in their schools, in their community, or even in their smaller social circles.
They learn to advocate for themselves and for one another—both inside and outside of the schools. They will also participate in the annual Partners in the Park events and partnerships like SheJumps, Hartland Community 4 Youth & Families, and activities like the PATHS! Program offered by the University of Utah’s Youth Education Department.
For more information about Youth Community Advocates or how to get involved, please contact Alma Yanagui at a.yanagui@partners.utah.edu.
Staff Spotlight
Saolo Manumaleuga Utu
This winter, Saolo joined UNP as Manager for Community Leadership Partnerships. Saolo
has a history of working with community engagement organizations through her previous
work with the Promise West Valley partnership and as an AmeriCorps VISTA member with
1010 Development Corporation in downtown Los Angeles.
Saolo came to UNP through her involvement in the work of Startup Incubator partner Royal Outreach Foundation through its Teine Malohi Girls Softball program and has recently completed the Westside Leadership Institute. As partnership manager, Saolo draws from her experience as a Westside resident and aims to work alongside community partners in building organizational capacity and access to resources.
In her free time, Saolo enjoys traveling with her family, coaching youth sports, and trying out new hobbies.
Community Corner
9th West Farmer's Market
Though a departure from many places featured here, the 9th West Farmer’s Market—also
known as the People’s Market, has a long relationship with UNP and a strong commitment
to the west side community.
The market, a nonprofit organization with a focus on community, is held in the International Peace Gardens at Jordan Park on Sundays, June through October. They have an annual seed swap, offer classes, and hold other periodic events outside of the season. In addition to locally grown fruits and vegetables, vendors sell items like honey, handmade soaps, jewelry, crafts, artisan foods, and more. Watch for special events like book swaps, yard sale days, and demonstrations. Find them online at 9thwestfarmersmarket.org.
Upcoming Events
Hartland Spring Festival
April 28—Noon - 3 p.m.
UNP Scholarships
partners.utah.edu/resources/scholarships
Alumni Scholarship: Applications due April 6
UNP Wolf/Meritus Scholarship: Applications due May 4
Partners in the Park
Join UNP staff, partners, and west side residents in local parks for food, fun, and resources.
Tuesdays from 6 to 8 p.m.
- June 19 - Jordan Park
- June 26 - Sherwood Park
- July 10 - Westpointe Park
- July 17 - Riverside Park
- July 31 - Northwest Rec Cente