Doctoral students engage with Latinx community at Pinewoods Library event

This summer, doctoral students taking a course centered on mental health in the Latinx community put theory into practice through volunteering at an event held by the Pinewoods Library and Learning Center.

Organized by Evelyn Rushing, branch manager of the Pinewoods Library, the Empower Pinewoods Family Expo provided health and educational resources to the community. Before the expo, Rushing spoke about the event and the Spanish-speaking community in Athens to the Latinx mental health class, taught by Edward Delgado-Romero, professor and associate dean for faculty and staff services in the Mary Frances Early College of Education.

In this experiential learning opportunity, students and Delgado-Romero volunteered at the expo, where they helped set up, distributed supplies, and facilitated communication between attendees, vendors, and other volunteers at various stations. Altogether, the expo hosted 64 organizations, and volunteers distributed 450 backpacks of school supplies to families in the community.

Renee Martin, a doctoral candidate in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, distributed clothing and supplies at Empower Pinewoods, while Jaylon Bruner-Vann, a doctoral student in the College’s counseling psychology program, assisted vendors with setting up and connected attendees with resources. Both Martin and Bruner-Vann said that the volunteer experience allowed them to connect with the community as well as strengthen their Spanish.

“What stood out most was witnessing the sense of unity and collective purpose that brought everyone together. I felt genuinely welcomed and was grateful for the opportunity to be immersed in such a vibrant, supportive environment,” Bruner-Vann said. “It was an experience that reinforced the importance of cultural humility, service, and connection.”

Natalie Kanga, a second-year doctoral student in the counseling psychology program, was stationed at the fire truck and facilitated communication between firefighters who did not speak Spanish and Spanish-speaking attendees. She said the experience put the course’s teachings into practice and illuminated the needs of the community.

“It was so much fun translating between the kids and firefighters, and I could see first-hand the bonds between the community and service providers growing,” Kanga said. “Regardless of language fluency, sometimes all it takes is exposure, a smiling face, and a fun experience like climbing inside a fire truck to foster trust, friendship, and mutual support across communities.”

The course, “U.S. Latino/a Mental Health: An Introduction,” presents a history of mental health issues in the Latinx community, along with an overview of Latinx history in the United States; relevant research into Latinx mental health as well as its limitations; barriers the population faces; and the strengths of Latinx culture. For Delgado-Romero, students volunteering at the expo reflected the course’s themes.

“I was so proud to see the students give selflessly of their time, interact with the community and come away with an appreciation of the strength of this often unseen Latinx community,” Delgado-Romero said.