California of the pioneers, peopled by progressives of campsites with bear lockers of pines and berries of easy cilantro in markets of walnut milk of ocean vistas and Apple of fires in the woods. Our tribal health community “We want you to trust us with your primary health care,” I tell the 60-year-old patient whose body mass index (BMI) is just past obese. He is a native man who studied the classics in college and has been working on a book for 25 years. He lives with two sons ...

Housing and food insecurity have always existed in Massachusetts, but the pandemic has exacerbated these issues. Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA), an academic community health system serving Cambridge, Somerville, and Boston’s metro-north region, has witnessed this firsthand and is addressing the nutritional and housing needs of patients by connecting them to community-based support through the MassHealth Flexible Services Program. The

Years ago, a friend and I were coming home from university very late on a cool, breezy evening. The public transport was crowded, so we decided to walk home. On our way, as we crossed a dark, deserted alley, a group of men started following us, using abusive language, talking about our body parts loudly. We quickened our paces, they did the same. As we entered the street where my friend lived, we were in a state of panic. As these men crossed into ...