ABQ Times

Real-world experience plays a crucial role in educating students about health disparities within their communities. This is the driving force behind the partnership between Three Sisters Kitchen, a non-profit food space in downtown Albuquerque, and The University of New Mexico's College of Population Health (COPH). The collaboration integrates student fieldwork projects into community-based programs.

Three Sisters Kitchen provides various spaces to cater to community needs, including a professional test kitchen, a community classroom, and a local café at Explora Children's Museum. These facilities support cooking and nutrition education, aid local food entrepreneurs in business development, and offer affordable local food access.

Lisa Chen, Community Health Programs Director at Three Sisters Kitchen, describes working with COPH Bachelor of Science in Population Health (BSPH) Capstone and Master of Public Health (MPH) Practicum students as beneficial. "Students draft nutrition-related materials including handouts, newsletters, and presentations," she explains. They are involved in activities such as leading cooking classes and themed workshops.

Students typically work both remotely and on-site at Three Sisters Kitchen. They engage with food distribution programs directly interacting with community members seeking nutritional assistance. Their remote work involves developing ideas for health education campaigns and analyzing local health data to understand community needs better.

The collaboration benefits both parties: students gain practical experience while the community receives fresh perspectives from them. “Three Sisters Kitchen values community very much,” Chen emphasizes. She highlights efforts like supporting families with access to produce, providing diabetes prevention education, promoting physical activity among youth, training small food entrepreneurs, and conducting cooking workshops.

This ongoing partnership serves as a model for collaborations between academic institutions and community organizations aimed at addressing food insecurity and health disparities through combined classroom learning and practical application.