07/09/2026
Our first stop was to chat with Dr. Ali Ahmed and his team at Othello Station Pharmacy. They speak over 8 languages, offer prescriptions with written directions in those languages, and provide home delivery. Othello Station Pharmacy is locally owned and dedicated to closing the gap on health equity.
We then headed to UW Othello Commons for an inspiring speaker lineup. Dr. Tanya Shah opened with a heart-wrenching account of her month-long work stay in Gaza, where she served as an emergency physician amid the collapse of the hospital and healthcare system. She spoke of tragedies where war turns ordinary illnesses into fatal injuries, a stark reminder of how fragile access to care can be, and how much it matters when we get it right.
From there, we turned to the work being done right here at home. Jeff Kalombo, a member of the DRC community and Executive Director of Rehoboth CDC (), shared recurring themes from community listening sessions and patients' experiences in the ER. He offered cultural insights for better care, including the importance of faith, clergy as partners in healthcare, and asking about traditional medicines without judgment. Jeff is also a member of the Congolese Leaders Coalition of Washington.
Zahida and Zarmina from the International Rescue Committee's SASIC program ("Services for Afghan Survivors Impacted by Combat") spoke about the importance of trauma-informed care, along with cultural insights and expectations for treating Afghan patients.
To close out the day, Tsega from the Ethiopian Community in Seattle () shared how the organization supports a seamless integration of Ethiopians into American society through social services, education, small business support, and cultural celebration.
Deep gratitude to each of our speakers for sharing their knowledge and lived experience. And to our newest medical residents: welcome, and may this be just the beginning of a career grounded in cultural humility and connection to the patients you serve.
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