COMMITTEE DESCRIPTIONS
PATIENT ADVOCACY
FINANCIAL
The Financial Committee is responsible for managing and documenting all expenses associated with the organization. Internally, their responsibilities include applying for grants, coordinating transportation, recording incomes and expenditures, alongside other administrative work. Externally, the Financial Committee holds fundraisers to support club activities such as funding for events at local schools and community centers. The team also works closely with advisors from UCLA's Student Organizations, Leadership, and Engagement (SOLE) and other UCLA representatives to plan and communicate events.
INTERVIEW
The Interview Committee collaboratively creates engaging questions that allow patients to express various aspects of their lives, ranging from their favorite hobbies to their opinions about systemic health disparities. The goal of this team is to hear and understand individuals’ experiences and identify their resource needs, while also exploring structural barriers and collecting public health information to be shared by our Media Activism committee. Members of our interview team are generally comfortable around a camera and are prepared to treat the interviewed patients and medical professionals with the sensitivity and respect that is crucial to our mission. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, phone interviews and zoom calls are a vital method of communication between patients and SOS.
EXTERNAL RELATIONS
The External Relations Committee is designed to offer increased access and accommodation to people who are often overlooked in our healthcare systems. The team is responsible for connecting patients with the appropriate resources to address inequities identified during the interviews. In order to accomplish this task, members research and contact partnering organizations to maintain an extensive resource database and map that includes mental health referral centers, housing accommodations, legal services, and health resources. Furthermore, this committee is responsible for developing new partnerships with local non-profits and clinics as well as coordinating volunteer site opportunities.
EDUCATION
INTERNAL RELATIONS
The Internal Relations committee is tasked with overseeing the recruitment and retention of active and interested members. Their duties include organizing presentations and guest speakers for general meetings and member education. Additionally, this team is in charge of updating social media sites that broadcast the organization’s mission in collaboration with the Media Activism committee. This committee is expected to plan engaging club socials as well as activity fairs and information sessions that accurately communicate the mission and principles of the organization.
MEDIA ACTIVISM
The Media Activism Committee is entrusted with presenting patients' stories through anecdotal, informative, and educational writing pieces as well as informative visuals. In addition, this team is responsible for composing blog posts, podcast edits, and educational materials that illustrate SOS's mission and share insights into health inequity. Members work closely with the Interview Committee in order to successfully establish narratives about the lived experiences of the patient or medical professional that are true to their perspectives and values. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Media Activism Committee developed a podcast that features topics in medicine that showcase the importance of access and inclusivity of marginalized people.
OUTREACH
The Outreach Committee serves as the health education core of our organization. Members of this committee employ strategies to increase our presence within the Los Angeles community by contacting schools, health fairs, and other community organizations.The educational programs created by the Outreach Committee are utilized to empower students to advocate for their own health and secure their wellbeing. Members assist in maintaining relationships with our nonprofit community partners, as well as hosting large-scale educational events around Los Angeles. Members will focus on refining our Health Literacy program and continuing to presenting it to high schools and community centers (so far, we have reached over 500 students across 5 LAUSD schools!).