Research project guides for CSUB student researchers
Sung Hyoun Hong: Hello! P26: Hello! Good morning! How you doing. Sung Hyoun Hong: Good! How are you? P26: Good, good. Sung Hyoun Hong: I’m Sung from the Georgia State University. I’m collaborating with the Dr. Park with this Air quality project, and thank you for Sung Hyoun Hong: joining us. P26: Nice to meet you I’m excited. Sung Hyoun Hong: Sure. Sung Hyoun Hong: So so are you in California right now? P26: Yes, I am in Bakersfield, in the Central Valley. Sung Hyoun Hong: Oh, sounds good! P26: Yeah, I was actually one of Dr. Pak’s students. I think one of his first students whenever he was in CSUB, so it’s nice to see him again. Sung Hyoun Hong: Oh, that’s amazing! P26: Yeah. P26: I know a funny story was, I was taking his class, and I was taking his wife’s class online. And I didn’t. Sung Hyoun Hong: Oh really? That’s nice. P26: Yeah, I didn’t know they were together. Sung Hyoun Hong: Oh, yeah. P26: Yeah. And then I I asked him like, Oh, I think I know your wife, and he’s like, you know my wife? Sung Hyoun Hong: That’s funny, wow. P26: Yeah, it was nice. Sung Hyoun Hong: So both of them are teaching at the CSUB right. P26: Yes. So whenever I was there. So yeah. Sung Hyoun Hong: Yeah, I heard that his wife offered kind of like a lecture to the CSUB students, which is kind of amazing. P26: Yeah. Sung Hyoun Hong: Cool. P26: Yeah. Sung Hyoun Hong: It’s why it is so dark right now. Sung Hyoun Hong: Alright! Sung Hyoun Hong: How’s the weather in California right now? P26: Pretty warm. P26: Yeah, I think, high nineties, hundreds. So yeah, it’s pretty hot. Sung Hyoun Hong: And here in Atlanta it’s rainy out there. P26: Really. Sung Hyoun Hong: Yeah, like. P26: Is it humid? Sung Hyoun Hong: Yes, it’s kind of unusual, because we don’t rain typically in the summer, however, like these days, like Sung Hyoun Hong: at least 5 days per week. Sung Hyoun Hong: Hey! Sunjin. S: Hello! Can you hear me? Sung Hyoun Hong: Yes. S: My computer does not work. So I just use my phone S: to join the meeting. Let me micro microphone setting. S: Okay. Sung Hyoun Hong: So your voice is very clear. But for some reason, your camera Sung Hyoun Hong: I, will, say, it is closed. S: Okay, is it? Okay? Not right. Now. Sung Hyoun Hong: Perfect. S: Okay. Hello. P26. P26: Perfect. S: Okay. P26: Hello, Dr. Pak. Nice to see you again. S: Please call me Sunjin. Yeah. S: Sunjin, we are friends now. P26: Yeah. S: Your hair. Grew a lot. P26: Yeah, I had a pretty short when I had your class. S: How’s your life nowadays? P26: It’s going good. Yeah. Yeah. I finished up my master’s program last year. Since, you know, gaining experience in the real world. It’s pretty nice if it feels like there’s a P26: there’s something missing. Because I just been in school for 15-16 years, you know. So it feels weird, having free time. S: Okay. Okay. Great now, my 3rd baby became 3 years old. P26: Oh, nice! S: So I think I’m kinda having some confident that I’m having some control over my life. P26: Well, happy, happy, late. Father’s day. S: Oh, thank you very much. Yeah. Last Sunday was father’s day, but you know S: there were small celebration from my church, but not from my family, but it’s P26: Oh! S: Okay. So thanks for joining our interview. As I send you the summary of the questions. Let’s just we will just talk about the air quality in Bakersfield, and how it impact your life. P26: Definitely. S: And also, as you know, S: if you’re okay, can we record the Zoom Meeting? The purpose of this recording is to make a transcription. With the Zoom automatically. So once we review the transcription, we will delete the video recording and change all your name and personal identification in your transcript so that no one can detect your personal identification. P26: Okay. Yeah. S: Okay, thank you very much. And this is a protocol that we have guided by CSUB. And if we do not follow this rule, then I’ll be in a big, you know, trouble. So I need to follow this rule as well. P26: Okay. Sounds good. S: Okay, so so after this interview we will send you a $40 Amazon gift card S: and briefly, this interview will last S: until 1145 min. But and if you have any friends or family members who’s working in Kern County or San Joaquin Valley feel free to share this opportunity so that we can make our community with a better place with a clean air, and also they could collect $40 gift card as well. P26: Okay. So could you tell us about your current role in your job? P26: Yes. I currently work for the Kern County Public Health Department. I’m a project specialist for the health equity team where we P26: we provide equitable services. We pinpoint P26: gaps throughout Kern county gaps and services and we create partnerships with different organizations throughout Kern county to meet people where there are, where they’re at. So we provide services. We collaborate with different organizations to provide medical services out in East Kern, where there’s a lack of providers due to P26: you know, just a lack of providers, and also just the distances and the the geographic location of it being so remote. So our main focus are rural areas. I know we serve current county. But here in Bakersfield itself. A lot of there’s a lot of providers here. There’s a lot of services here, but we really focus on all our rural communities, East Kern, North Kern, South Kern. That are remote, you know, they don’t have those providers. So P26: yeah, so it’s a little snapshot of kind of what I do. S: Okay, I think. We are aligned with the mission and since this research project aim to increase the quality of life of Kern county, I think we find the right person. S: That our research is, I want to contribute. So with the interviewees, we ask what kind of things our community or our local government can do for their well-being. S: So and it would be great if we can hear some opinion from you S: from the perspective from the upper government level. S: So does your work require, uhh, requires physical presence? So do you need to be in your office every day? P26: So they offer a remote work schedule. It’s optional. P26: So we have some individuals that don’t work in office that they’re completely remote. There’s some individuals that have a hybrid work schedule. So they come in 2 days a week. And they’re working from home, you know, 3 days a week. Or there’s also individuals that are fully in office. And typically, those are our our clinic staff that have those face to face interactions with community members. So there’s a hybrid work schedule. S: Okay. So if there’s a bad weather’s out out there in a specific day. Do you have a flexibility that your employees can say to your managers that you you just want to work at your home. P26: Hmm. P26: typically, we don’t have any policies regarding staying home depending on the air condition. But I know we have some individuals that do case management out in rural areas, and if we know there’s a fire nearby, or if their quality is going to be poor, we just recommend our staff to wear masks and P26: just have Epp or PPE protective equipment to like such as masks and stuff. So there’s no written policy. Stating that we could stay home, but it’s recommended. S: Okay, and can you describe your typical day? Including your working hours and outside of your working hours? P26: Yeah. So typically, I get to the office around 7:30. My commutes about P26: 3 minutes away. So it’s not too far. Yeah, it’s it’s very nice. P26: I get to work. A majority of my time is spent in office. I do take on my breaks. I’ll take a walk around the the parking lot. So I’m exposed to the air there. Typically, in the mornings I’ll take my walks in the afternoons. I won’t, just because sometimes it gets a little too warm. During lunch times I’ll I’ll sit outside have my lunch, you know. Enjoy the outside air. But for the most part P26: 7:30 to 4 o’clock. Besides my breaks, I’m just indoors. I’ll occasionally go on meetings out of office. P26: I wanna say maybe 2 to 3 times a month, but it’s it’s rare. S: Hmm. S: After work. Do you jog or have some outdoor activities? P26: So our department offers in-house gym, so it’s inside. So I try to use that. I know, since the weather’s been getting a little warmer. I’ve been trying to take walks outside. Just enjoy enjoy the weather. P26: But yeah. S: Okay. How long you how long have you lived in San Joaquin Valley? P26: 26 years, my whole life. S: Oh, okay, yeah. So you, your parents, brought you here, or did you born here? P26: Yeah. I was born here. S: Okay? So since you have been live here for your entire lifetime. How do you think the air quality has been changed? Is it consistent, or does it getting great, or better or worse? P26: I think, growing up P26: it was poor. I think my first interaction, or my first experience with having poor air quality was younger. I I think I was diagnosed with asthma and just a breathing condition that P26: that my lungs are very sensitive to pollen or just other contaminants in the air. So growing up, I P26: I uhh I had asthma. And then, even in high school, too. P26: It was rare, but sometimes we. Whenever we would do sports, we would have to cancel sports. Just because of the air quality, or also the how hot it was outside. P26: But I feel like during COVID, P26: since there was a reduction of people went outside, I’ve noticed P26: after that the air quality has been nice P26: or has improved a bit. I think the way I kind of measure it is the mountains to the east onto [Mountain name]. I would never be able to see them. But now there’ll be days where they’ll be clear. So I feel like that’s kind of the way I measure. Oh, their quality is good, you know, instead of checking like the air quality index. That’s just oh, you know, like you can see the mountains. You can see the grapevine from Bakersfield. I was like, oh, you know it’s a it’s a good. It’s a good good day. S: Sometimes. Yeah, go go ahead. Sung Hyoun Hong: Yeah, just curious. Do you think the air quality itself has improved a lot compared to when you are young? P26: I feel like it has P26: like, I said, because of COVID. But I feel like maybe it’s it’s been. It’s been consistently P26: better. I don’t know if that has to do with maybe P26: all the the increase of electric cars or the increase of hybrid cars. P26: But yeah, I’ve definitely noticed since when I was younger. Yeah, I think it’s been better. S: Hmm. Sung Hyoun Hong: Interesting. S: Were there any specific moment or critical experience that you have S: that influence your perspective on your, on the air quality. P26: I think it’s when I realized the geographic location we’re we’re in P26: We’re in a valley or in a valley, right? So it’s kind of a bowl that I’ve kind of been pulled that we’re in a bowl. So all the air quality just kind of gets stuck here because the mountains kind of just keep it in. So I think that’s when I realized, okay, cool air quality is pretty bad. And then I would see in the news like, Oh, yeah, the Central valley has the worst air quality, and it’s it’s due to our geographic location, like the the contaminants don’t have anywhere to go. So they kind of just stay here. P26: But I know currently public health is joining a campaign for valley fever. P26: so I know that has to do a lot with the air quality as well. P26: But P26: I think I definitely feel like there’s been efforts to improve our quality, or at least be aware of kind of what’s in the air. Ways we could reduce P26: getting affected by valley fever or other illnesses with contaminants in the air. S: Hmm, yeah. S: The one of the reason why we start this research is that the awareness of the air quality is quite different across people. Some are very sensitive and some are S: they’re quite blunt on the the concerns of the air quality, and there’s some discrepancy between those people, and that makes us not to involve in, you know, putting effort to change our air quality or improve our air quality. So, I just wanted to know more about that. But S: just I just wanted to check in that you said you check air quality with 2 method with your eye, with your own eye, and also AQI with the weather app. But I could see some discrepancy between two measures. Sometimes when AQI says it’s very good under, like 40 or 30, but S: there’s a dust everywhere. So how did you do you have any thoughts about that? P26: I don’t know. It might just be like a placebo effect, you know. I see the mountains, and like oh, their quality must be good. But then, if I see on on my weather app that AQI says 4, P26: I don’t know. Maybe I was like, Oh, it’s maybe in a different area, that the air air quality is poor. P26: but I don’t know. I just. P26: I don’t think I don’t think I think too much of it just because I think my asthma is like milder. I feel like if my asthma would have been a little bit more severe, I would be more aware of. Okay, cool, what’s the actual AQI like? Do I have to take my inhaler? If I’m gonna go on a run, you know? P26: So I think I’m not as aware. S: Hmm, okay, S: So you said, do you have time you use inhaler? P26: Yeah, typically, I’ve I’ve been trying to get into the habit of using it every morning. Sometimes I’ll wake up with like a little bit of shortness of breath. But I typically just do it. Just so. My lungs are kind of accustomed to it, and I don’t have any issues throughout the day, but there has been times where I forget to take it, and then I’m not struggling to breathe, but I struggle to kind of take like full, deep breaths. P26: But P26: yeah, I think it’s, and then I know also to I don’t know if you have. You’ve ever been to the current County Fair. But I know the air quality is really bad there, to a point where I would go when I was younger, and I would always get super sick because of it. P26: And then I just stopped going like in general, just because I didn’t wanna get sick. P26: But I know P26: that’s a pretty big cause, because all the dirt and dust kind of gets up, and all the cow or all the animals, all their all their dandruff and stuff. S: Yeah, I understand that. In 2022, when I teach you in the class, I went to the pumpkin patch. P26: Hmm. S: I inhaled lots of dust, and it was during night, and I couldn’t see the dust, but I could. My S: my respiration system was not good for like two days S: following that dat. So I totally understand that. P26: Yeah. S: So so S: we know that air quality could impact our life. But are there any moments or experience that the air quality impact your productivity of your workplace, in your workplace. P26: Hmm, typically, no, because I I feel like my P26: job really doesn’t do anything physically that I really need to do. Yeah, physically. P26: Yeah, I don’t believe so. S: around your colleague, are there any people? Whose productivity or their health were impacted by the air quality? S: Have you noticed that, or did they reveal that to you? P26: I don’t believe so. Yeah, I think it’s just because we were indoors. P26: Possibly like I said, the case managers that go out to community members. P26: They might be P26: I don’t know. Maybe like to reschedule an appointment with the with the individual. I know typically, for say. For example, out in East Kern, say, there’s a big accident on the freeway, I know they typically P26: ask us to shy away from it. P26: We’ll see if there’s like a large fire, and they know the area is blocked off, they’ll have to reschedule or just cancel appointments, so I guess. S: Okay. P26: But in terms of air quality. P26: I don’t believe so. S: How about your family members? S: did they impacted by the air quality? P26: I believe my my dad, because he works in construction. So he works outside. P26: So I know for the heat, they’ll typically they’ll shift their P26: their working hours like an hour or two ahead. So instead of going in at 7 AM, he’ll go in at 5 AM. To be able to work from 5 to P26: to 1 instead of 7 to 3. Just to kind of beat that heat. And you know. P26: I think the I think, with the rise of heat. Also kind of the air quality kind of decreases as well, too. So I I feel like most people just say, oh, it’s because of the heat, but I think P26: sometimes it is because of their quality that sometimes they have to ship their work, or they have to end a project early. S: Like when there’s a high heat with heavy sunshine. The ozone level increases significantly. P26: Hmm. S: And I found that it breaks our lung heavily. P26: Hmm. S: And it’s really a concern in my area where I live around mountain, Magic Mountain. S: But I understand the situation. S: So let’s talk about the the discussions in your workplace, about the air quality. S: So in your workplace, how comfortable are are people your colleagues with discussing air quality concerns? P26: I believe they’re very comfortable, due to the department I work for, public health. P26: We’re not only looking out for the community members, but also our coworkers, you know. Like, I said we have, we just launched a Valley fever campaign where P26: we’re, I’m a Valley fever Ambassador. So if individuals have questions about valley fever? I could either answer them or direct them to one of our epidemiologists that could give you more information of valley fever and P26: the impacts they have for individuals here in Kern County. S: Oh, that’s great, because I learned that many of the workplace does not, you know, train their employees about valley fever. They only train about S: their colleagues or their employees should not work if there’s if the temperature goes beyond a certain limit, but they never talk about don’t work if the air quality is bad, or if the dust is everywhere. S: because I, is is is this, can you please check if I’m wrong, or S: true that, the dust is the predictor of the valley fever? S: Is it true? P26: So it’s it’s a fungus that’s in the soil, and it could be airborne easily. So when P26: when the fungus, you know, becomes airborne, and then individuals breathe it in it could attack the lungs. It also could attack like the nervous system. Like. I know our our director of public health. She actually contracted valley fever, and she contracted the most rarest P26: form of it to a point where it was P26: attacking her nervous system. So she would have headaches just any little light. It would just it would, P26: it would, I don’t know, annoy her. And yeah. So she contracted one of the most rarest cases of valley fever, so she’s a very strong advocate for valley fever awareness on how it’s contracted, how to prevent it P26: and how P26: It’s P26: it’s mainly found in Kern County. And to a point where our lab is actually the number one in the world of testing for valley fever just because of the geographic location, how it’s predominantly found here in Kern County. S: Okay. I heard that regarding the valley fever and the the S: the the way we can treat the that disease that symptom, the Arizona State University is quite famous on dealing with that, because they also experience valley fever because they are surrounded by the desert area. S: Okay. I didn’t know that we have that, the testing facility in Bakersfield. Okay. I thought it was only run by the hospital, not by the our S: and local government. P26: Yeah. So your primary care provider they, if they they’ll P26: what is it? They’ll request a test. You’ll get tested by your doctor, and they’ll send. They’ll send your blood or what have you to our lab? They’ll get it tested, and then they’ll send it back. S: Hmm, okay, okay, thank you very much. Sung Hyoun Hong: I have one question. So if someone gets valley fever, maybe without even knowing what it is, would they be able to suspect it based on their symptoms? Or are the symptoms too similar to other illness or disease to tell the differences. P26: So that that’s the that’s the scary part of valley fever is that you could have, you could have it, you could have valley fever or not have any symptoms. P26: They could lay dormant in your body. But then, if you do have valley fever, there’s like rashes. It’s so widespread how I said they could attack your nervous system. So P26: I think this is why it took so long for our director to get diagnosis because she didn’t show the common P26: symptoms like rash cough fevers. She had none of those symptoms, so they they didn’t think it was valley fever to a point where, like all right, cool, let’s test for valley fever, and turns out it was the rarest kind, but if you P26: breathe in the spores it could take anywhere from one to three weeks to show symptoms. If you do show symptoms, luckily it’s not contagious, so if you contract it, there’s no risk of spreading it. P26: But yeah, I could lay dormant in your body. Sung Hyoun Hong: That is kind of nightmare. P26: Yeah. S: Yeah. So in 2022 fall. I was so scared about the valley fever, and we had a flu like symptom. My wife got it and I got it. And at the time I didn’t have a insurance, because I just started my work. P26: Hmm. S: My insurance was supposed to start at around mid October. So, but I got that flu like symptom around September, late September. So for testing the valley fever, it took like $300 for each. P26: Yeah. S: So. I, since your explanation is, was so professional I can believe that you are the ambassador. P26: Oh! S: On increasing the awareness of that valley fever, I think S: this is one of the most important job and role in this Kern county, because it saves life, and it’s enriches our community. And I believe that people here in Kern County they don’t aware about the concerns of the about the air quality, and it’s significantly relate to the valley fever as well. S: So while you conduct your the activity, were there any organization contact you about how S: to help S: support their employees to increase their awareness about the air quality or awareness about the valley fever. P26: So typically, what organizations do is we work at a lot of community based organizations such as Cap K, [Organization name], American in health project. So what those individuals will do is they’ll reach out to us. P26: to give a presentation to their community. So, for example, American Indian Health Project, they serve American Indians. So they’ll put on a an event. To talk about valley fever, and we would go representing public health P26: and informing the community regarding valley fever. So, yeah. S: So they are contacting you to promote the awareness of that symptoms. P26: Yeah, so these campaigns are fairly new. The school ambassadors is a pilot program. We’re we’re working on right now. But down the line. So we’re envisioning, we’re visioning. This is the way we spread the information about fever is working with our partners throughout the community that that work firsthand with our community members. S: Okay. But the thing is that when I had a job talk at CSUB, no one share about the story of valley fever and the air quality. I think they were just assuming that I already searched those kind of concerns in Bakersfield. S: and after I got a job and moved my family S: to Bakerfield, now my colleagues are sharing that. Do you know that you can caught valley fever in this wind speed? P26: Yeah. S: So if you see the you know, the tree is moving slightly, don’t run outside. People just recommend me like that. But have you S: noticed something so similar things for the new employees? P26: Um…yes. So we’re trying to. Just so we’re trying to do like a train, the trainer model. So we had our professionals. The epidem epidemiologists train our health educators other individuals for the department, and then we’re gonna train everyone else P26: but going back to your point about P26: coming here and not really knowing what valley fever is and how to contract it. I know we we had a valley fever symposium, where we invited a bunch of providers to to dinner. And we had a presentation regarding valley fever just because it’s common here, and it’s not common in the rest of the world. P26: individuals that you know do medical school in LA or across the country or across the world? They’re not really taught valley fever as much just because it’s not common anywhere else. So I think that’s one of our biggest barriers about the awareness of valley fever is we don’t have providers that grew up here that are local; we don’t have a medical school here, so P26: there is works on having a medical school here eventually. But I think it’s just the lack of knowledge of providers to give that information to their patients is one of the big reasons why there’s not a big P26: awareness on valley fever. S: Hmm, okay. S: Back to the discussion about the air quality in your workplace. Have your colleagues shared their personal or family concerns about the air quality with you? P26: I think one of my coworkers she lives out in Wasco, and she she’s a runner. She likes to run P26: and she lives really close to a bunch of like almond almond trees or a bunch of fields. So I’ve, P26: she’s voiced her concerns like, Oh, like I try to run in the mornings or she tries to wait until, like the late evenings, to run due to the air quality. Just because I know all the pollen and the dirt and dust kind of build up there. Yeah, I think that one coworker that lives out in Wasco. S: Hmm! S: The reason why I raised this question was that if you have a discussions about the air quality and if people feel comfortable about sharing their concerns about the air quality, they could actually think about how they can resolve this issue. P26: Hmm. S: So. So in this line of subject, are there any S: But does your colleagues feel comfortable talk about this issue? P26: Yeah, I I work with health educators. So I know they’re definitely P26: they’re comfortable with, you know, educating the public and talking about health topics. So yes. S: Yeah, it’s very unique workplace because, you’re working with a health educator. P26: Yeah. S: Okay, have you ever wanted to take a mask because of the air quality issue, but felt hesitant to S: because of the social pressure. P26: When I know it’s bad outside right now it’s windy. And I because typically when it’s windy, I know I’m gonna get sick if it’s dusty. So P26: I I don’t mind it. Yeah, I’ll I’ll wear a mask if it’s windy outside. I don’t care what anyone thinks. S: But just this is my experience, and you know S: I thought the the dust was everywhere because of the windy situation, and I put my mask from my mask out in the CSUB parking lot. But I realized that I’m just the only one who’s wearing the mask, so I felt like, Am am I too sensitive? So I felt some, some. S: some kind of pressure. S: Not too strong. But since everyone does not mind of the S: air quality, it actually influenced me. So that’s why I ask you the previous question. P26: I think it’s because individuals that grew up here are just used to the air quality being poor, so P26: I don’t know. Maybe their lungs have like an immunity to it. They’re just kind of used to it. S: Okay, and also have you ever, umm S: Let me. S: Okay. Sung Hyoun Hong: Just quick question. And so I think you have a lot of Sung Hyoun Hong: kind of good knowledge about the air quality and the valley fever. Do you see any differences between like people who have more knowledge around it, and people who do not have knowledge, and how those difference can influence wearing the mask, or using other protective gear. P26: Definitely. I feel like my knowledge on air quality and valley fever is P26: It’s less less than like our epidemiologists and our individuals that went to school. They studied P26: studied epidemiology and public health, and all the health concerns that are P26: all all the health concerns that our community faces, right? That be environmental or just disease and communical diseases. P26: So I know those individuals are more aware, and they try to share information. To kind of inform everyone else like, hey, you know, air quality is bad. You guys put a mask on but then I do, P26: I do encounter some individuals that are kind of just ignorant. And they’re oh, you know, like, I don’t care for air quality is bad. I’m just gonna walk outside. I don’t wanna P26: like that that stigma like. Oh, you know, I don’t want someone to see me with a mask. They’re gonna think I’m sick, or you know something. So I definitely do see a difference between individuals that are more educated on their quality than not. Sung Hyoun Hong: That’s helpful. S: And okay. So let’s move to other subject. The how discussing air quality could impact S: in that community connection between people. S: So so sometimes people feel sense of connection with others when facing common challenges like when you think about the people in Florida, when they S: when they S: experience hurricane hurricane Katrina they felt the sense of connection by overcoming their common challenges. So maybe people in Kern county, since they are facing this common challenges of air quality issue, S: they might feel a sense of connection with others. So when you learn that the others share similar symptoms from the air quality, like asthma or S: other environmental concerns. How does that of? How does that affect you? P26: I think whenever you how you brought up asthma right when I see another another individual that they say, Oh, I have asthma. I do kind of feel that sense of connection. Right? Like, okay, cool. We both have the same. We both go through the same health concern or the health P26: illness, I guess you recall it. I was like, oh, you know, like, and then we just have. You know, that common ground, you know like oh, what inhaler do you use, you know, like, how long have you had asthma? You know, like what? What triggers your asthma? So P26: I feel like sharing your story and having none of the other individuals that have that same story that you do, or something similar that you do, that they’ve kind of faced the same thing you have. I would definitely feel like that does kind of bring you together. P26: yeah, like, I think, P26: kind of. I know this is not towards air quality, but the valley fever, right? So. We had our P26: our director. She gave her testimonial about kind of her challenges and kind of her experiences with it. P26: we had three major community champions kind of share their story. And now that we have their stories, we’re going. And we’re sharing their stories to individuals throughout the community. And some individual we’re asking individuals like, hey, if you face the same thing, if you face something similar. Share your story, you know. We want to hear what you’ve gone through and just building that connection and building that community trust and relationship. S: Okay, so like sharing. S: you’re so sharing about your asthma with other people, it’s like, you know, rebuilding, your one of one part of your weakness, your vulnerability. S: And how does that impact the relationship between the others you shared your vulnerability? P26: It’s funny you say that because so like, for example, my girlfriend, my girlfriend, I told her, hey, I have asthma! And then I told her. Oh, I want to run. It’s like, Oh, well, you can’t run. You have asthma, and I think it’s not more of a vulnerability. But I think for me it’s more motivation, like, Okay, cool. I have asthma, but I can still run like it’s not, it’s not stopping me, you know, like I’m going to do my inhaler, and I’m going to do P26: what you do, or I’m going to do what you do, but better so I feel like for me. It’s not really a vulnerability. I think it’s like, Oh, I have it. It’s a challenge, this setback I have, but I think it just motivates me P26: to be better. That makes any sense. P26: Yeah. S: Okay, so air quality issues, it’s a difficulty. S: And but you feel like it provides some positive motivation to be better. P26: Yeah, like I think just for me, I think it’s just growing up. Just my background, you know. P26: I don’t know. Just growing up I didn’t have everything kind of handed to me. So just working for all my, all my things, and just P26: I don’t know. You see air quality as another barrier, another hurdle I have to overcome. P26: and I think I’m just. I’m excited that there’s efforts to raise an awareness and methods on what we could do to increase air quality. So I think that’s also tied to, oh, yeah, you know, this this interview is gonna gonna help me in the long run as well. S: Hmm! S: When I interview some people they feel S: They show some sarcasm sarcasm toward the current situation that we deal with the air quality. They don’t feel like S: there’s nothing to do to improve the the air. But in your case, do you think that the air quality or the valley fever situation can be improved? P26: Yeah, definitely. I think it’s just my, my work environment. P26: like, for example, we have a tobacco team, right? That they P26: they raise awareness on tobacco and the kind of the P26: I guess the symptoms one care P26: her dinner from smoking tobacco, and P26: they’re not really lobbyists. They’re not individuals that are going to go. Tell our Congressmen like, Hey, you know we have to, you know, quit tobacco they’re there to educate. So I know P26: this approach on educating individuals at the government level, at the higher, at the higher government level, educating them like, Hey, this is what we’re facing the challenges. We’re facing. These are some suggestions. I think that’s the right way to do it, because then it goes into policy, and then it goes into law and P26: at the end of the day. They’re kind of the final say and kind of what’s going on in California, the Central Valley locally So P26: I think. P26: having the evidence behind all this, all this air quality. This is just the first step on improving it. S: Okay, so do you think that provides some feelings of hope S: that this neighbor, this community, can be S: a better place to live for our people? P26: Yeah, P26: I know it’s it’s tough, because geographically, we kind of have, you know the odds against us, because, you know, we’re a bowl, but we could always prevent air quality like emissions, pollutions. We could always prevent it, because a lot of the time it’s man-made pollutions that are reducing this air quality. S: Okay, so I think you are S: in the unique organization where your staff members and your colleagues working toward improving S: the quality of life in Bakersfield. S: And but when you work S: with your colleagues to change S: the community, and in a S: for the better version of our community, do you feel like you’re connected with the with your colleagues? P26: Yeah, yeah, I know. P26: we have multiple community events where we invite community members, and we hear their feedback and P26: we’re the ones running the show right? So I think that kind of builds P26: a connection with our, my colleagues. S: how about the connection with your organization. P26: Yeah, I know. Our organization is very transparent from upper management to frontline staff. S: I think there’s there’s definitely that trust there. Our our director definitely tries to, P26: you know, get to know everyone. Isn’t really just locked up in their office every day, like, you know, she’s walking through the halls, talking to people P26: also, it does feel very connected. S: Okay, okay, so so far, we talked about how the discussion about the air quality issues or concerns can positively influence connection with the community and your colleagues. S: And but but let’s talk about the negative side. Have you ever felt felt isolated? S: When you try to talk about the environmental concerns with other people. S: So first you say something. But the other person does not feel like they are understanding your situation. P26: I think in my unique situation, because I work with a lot of younger individuals, I think they’re more open to P26: to those ideas, and P26: just at least discussing I’m not really shooting them down. But for the most part I feel like we all have similar opinions just due to our our demographics. S: Hmm, okay. S: All right. S: So as a as a worker at the local government, S: do you have any recommendation that private company can take to address air quality issues? P26: I think the unique thing between private and public is that private P26: individuals do it for community members and or public entities do it for the community members. But private individuals are for profit, you know. So if I feel like, if it’s not profitable, profitable for them, they’re they’re not going to pay any attention to it. P26: I mean, my recommendations would be, you know, we try to P26: do what’s best for the community, at least your customers, you know, because your customers are the ones that are P26: giving you that profit. So. P26: I don’t believe I have any recommendations. S: Oh, okay, okay, S: and I’m looking for the questions that can fit with your situation. S: Okay, S: let’s talk about your future perspectives and aspiration. So, considering the current air quality issues and the actions S: of our community, do you see yourself continuing to live and work in this area for long term? P26: I gave it some thought of P26: moving to the central coast or Central Central Coast California. Just because it is kind of easier to breathe out there. But I think it’s just the the environment as well to just, I like the the weather, it being like gloomy and like kind of close to the P26: close, to the close to the ocean. P26: But for the foreseeable future I think I do see myself staying here in Kern county, just because this is where my family is from. S: So because of the family. You you need to stay here. P26: Yeah. S: Okay, but S: but the the one of the main reason you might want to move to other area is as the air quality issue. P26: Not so much air quality, I think. Just like weather. S: Oh weather. Oh. P26: Yeah. S: Got it. S: And what changes would make you feel more optimistic about living S: here and working here for long term? P26: In terms of air, quality, or in general? S: In general. P26: I don’t think I have any complaints, maybe just more fun activities to do throughout town. I know there’s a lot already, but just I don’t know they could, they could always be more. S: Okay, got it. And I think, we have consumes all minutes for your time. For last. Sung Hyoun, do you have any questions? Sung Hyoun Hong: No. Okay. S: Okay. So P26. if you have chance, S: can you? Can you introduce our research team with your, you know colleagues or your manager if you feel comfortable. This is the most important thing. I just wanted to talk about this air quality issue and awareness of the Valley fever, because I, too, think that this is really important S: and all private organizations need to train their workers. I know there are many farm workers, and you said. Your father’s is a construction worker, but the pro, the company does not train S: them with the air quality issue, and they don’t aware about those issue. And if there’s there’s a health concern health issue coming up regarding the respiratory issue. Usually company does not pay for that that cost. S: But I I just wanted to make our people aware about this issue. And if we aware of this issue, I think we can make a change. P26: Hmm. S: So that’s my motivation of this research. So S: thank you very much for participating. And and do you have any last comments for us? P26: For the individual that I recommend to do the survey as well. Do you want me to? How would they contact you through email or. S: Just email, or you can just give me their email and I will contact them. P26: Okay. Sounds good. S: Okay, thank you very much. Have a great day. P26: Yeah, you as well. Bye. Sung Hyoun Hong: Thank you.
Valley Fever info, manager referral
(학생 분석 내용 추가 예정)