Name of Partners: San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative’s (COI) Community Council Tri-Chairs. Rocina Lizarraga, Earl Felisme, and Tana Lepule
Location: San Diego County
Who They Are and What They Do? Rocina Lizarraga, Earl Felisme, and Tana Lepule serve as the Tri-Chairs of the San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative’s (COI) Community Council and participate in various roles within the San Diego community.
- Earl hosts community events, provides grief support, food drives, and mentorship, and is a 2018 Humanitarian recipient.
- Tana is a Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) advocate and Community Based Participatory Researcher.
- Rocina holds several positions at Olivewood Gardens and partners with the Environmental Health Coalition, Paradise Creek Educational Park, Mundo Gardens, and Community Action Team (CAT) in National.
How Do They Partner With CCH? In their role as Community Council Tri-Chairs, they are responsible for guiding the council in its mission to bring the community’s issues and perspectives to the San Diego County COI to create more equitable communities and healthy food behaviors within a thriving and accessible environment. They also lead the council in its efforts to educate and engage the community on activities being carried out by the San Diego COI. The Tri-Chairs take on the role of messengers, sharing info and ideas within their community and then sharing the community’s thoughts with the larger Community Council, San Diego COI workgroups, and the Center for Community Health.
What Did They Have to Say?
Tana: “I appreciate COI and the Center for Community Health for uplifting and offering voice for our Native Hawaiian and Pacific CommUNITY!”
Earl: “Serving with COI has put me in a position to utilize my passion, purpose, and commitment to help bring change. I believe that healed people heal people, and my personal experience, in addition to the experiences of my fellow COI members, will do just that. Connecting and serving alongside diverse community members will help reach more families and help encourage a happy, healthier, and safer lifestyle.”
Rocina: “I am grateful that the low-income and hard working families’ voices are going to be considered in COI for programs and resources to tackle health disparities in our community.”