Athena Callender, MBA, is the keynote speaker for UMass Chan Medical School’s virtual celebration of Native American Heritage Month on Wednesday, Nov. 29, at noon. A Worcester native member of the Hassanamisco Nipmuc tribe deeply rooted in Indigenous history and culture, Callendar will present, “Bridging the Gap,” an exploration of the relationship between modern health care providers and Indigenous populations, and offer strategies to help rebuild trust, improve communication and deliver healthier outcomes for tribal communities.
Callender said she is passionate about bridging the gap between native holistic medicinal practices and science-based medicine.
Native populations struggle disproportionately with diabetes, which Callender said contributes to obesity. “This, along with high suicide rates has made our mortality rates high to the point that there are only about 3,000 Nipmuc left.” For her, bridging the gap means providing members of the tribe with information about their health and empowering them to take action. Many native communities, including the Hassanamisco Nipmuc, struggle to go to the doctor due to discomfort and mistrust, she said.
In the past two years, UMass Chan has strengthened its relationship with the Hassanamisco Nipmuc through the Hassanamisco Partnership, which includes a board of faculty, staff, students and local tribe members that is working to put on events that center the lives and experiences of the local tribe. The community has also been vocal about the health disparities it still faces and is committed to a partnership that incorporates its knowledge of holistic medicine with that of conventional medicine.
Designating November as a time to honor and celebrate Native Americans was passed by Congress and signed into law in 1990.
