We are thrilled to celebrate James Sherrell, Program Specialist at EthnoMed for winning prestigious University of Washington Award of Excellence in Global Engagement, one of the UW’s highest honors. President Robert Jones presided over the awards ceremony at Meany Hall, where James was surrounded by family and EthnoMed colleagues to mark this momentous occasion.
This is an incredibly well deserved recognition. James demonstrates a leadership style rooted in empathetic listening and a sophisticated, multi-lens approach to problem-solving. Rather than imposing top-down directives, he excels at facilitating solutions that harmonize the diverse needs of multiple stakeholders. This collaborative mindset allows him to navigate complex organizational dynamics with ease.
As a strategic thinker, James possesses the vision to see the “big picture” while remaining grounded in the practicalities of project implementation. He builds immense trust within his teams by fostering an environment of inclusion and mutual respect. James is particularly masterful at ensuring that all perspectives are considered, often “raising up the quiet voices” to ensure that community insights inform the final outcome. This generosity of spirit and his habit of giving credit where it is due instills a deep sense of confidence in those he works with.
What stands out most is James’s ability to build sustained, professional partnerships that are truly collaborative rather than merely transactional. He is incredibly agile when moving between different cultural and educational contexts, consistently fostering mutual understanding regardless of the setting. His leadership is defined by a rare combination of high-level expertise and a genuine, adaptable nature that makes him an asset to any collaborative effort. This is the essence of meaningful ‘Global Engagement‘.
Most recently, James partnered with the UW Global Health class to lead a project creating in-language Health Hubs in seven languages. He’s transforming EthnoMed into the top practicum site for UW Global Health and Public health students, we have a packed summer ahead! James is also setting the groundwork to train and partner with residents and physicians across UW Medicine. We are so proud to have James on our team and to celebrate this incredible professional milestone with him.
Meeting in person with local community health organizations is essential to understanding the needs of the core patient population served by Harborview Medical Center. Community-based organizations help “fill in the gaps” by providing culturally and linguistically responsive education, advocacy, and support so individuals and families can truly thrive.
We recently hosted a community partner tour for UW and Harborview Medical Center staff, residents, and nurses. The purpose of the tour was to connect healthcare providers and support staff with trusted local organizations serving immigrant and refugee communities — and to better understand the culturally tailored services available beyond the hospital walls.
Casa La Tina
Our tour began at Casa Latina, a social justice organization with more than 30 years of history supporting Seattle’s Latino community. Casa Latina provides advocacy, education, and workforce development opportunities for its members.
Members can build computer skills, attend English language classes, and receive job-readiness training that creates pathways to stable employment such as day labor and housecleaning work. The organization also leads “Know Your Rights” campaigns, worker advocacy initiatives, fair wage efforts, and gender-based violence prevention programs.
A powerful takeaway from our visit was the reminder that fair-wage work provides dignity, stability, and the foundation for self-reliance, health, and emotional well-being. Casa Latina is not an employment agency; rather, it equips members with the skills, knowledge, and advocacy needed to pursue growth and long-term stability. As Executive Director Suzzanne B. reflected, “Domestic work makes all work possible. This invisible workforce deserves decency and respect.”
Global Perinatal Services
Next, we gathered at the UW Othello Commons space, where we heard from several additional community leaders. First was Global Perinatal Services (GPS), whose mission is to create culturally responsive pregnancy and parenting experiences for Black, immigrant, and refugee families.
GPS was born from lived experience. Founder Faisa Farole, a Somali-born midwife and mother, witnessed too many Somali mothers in Washington state undergoing cesarean sections they did not fully understand — often in hospital rooms without language access or culturally responsive care. Determined to address these inequities, she formed a small team of Somali women trained as doulas to provide not only birth support, but education, advocacy, and cultural bridge-building.
What began as Somali Doulas Northwest has grown into Global Perinatal Services — an organization dedicated to restoring voice, agency, and safety to families who have historically been left out of the conversation. Faisa and Ekua shared how GPS supports pregnant women, newborns, and fathers, working toward a blueprint of “healthy mom, healthy baby” through low-barrier access to birth support. GPS also provides doula certification locally and globally, strengthening culturally grounded care worldwide.
Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWA)
We next heard from Lisa, Alina, and Yasmin of the Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWA). Founded in 1985 by immigrant women, ReWA provides safe, culturally informed services for immigrants and refugees throughout Washington state.
ReWA addresses challenges many newcomers face, including:
Loss of home and identity
Navigating unfamiliar laws and cultural expectations
Emotional distress and isolation
ReWA staff collectively speak English, Arabic, Farsi, Dari, Pashto, Somali, Ukrainian, Russian, Kurdish, and Turkmen. Their counselors deeply understand the immigrant and refugee experience. They honor the culture and lived experience of each individual they serve while promoting self-sufficiency and empowerment.
A central theme of their presentation was the importance of creating “a feeling of coming home.” By reducing isolation and helping newcomers reconnect with culture and community, ReWA strengthens emotional well-being and belonging.
Somali Health Board
Fartun and Najma then introduced us to the work of the Somali Health Board. The organization’s mission is to reduce health disparities within the Somali community while honoring Islamic cultural values as the foundation of its services.
Their programming spans the lifespan — supporting youth, families, and elders. Services include:
Mental and behavioral health support
Youth and family education programs
A robust soccer training program for boys and girls that promotes both physical and mental health
Health education and culturally appropriate services for Somali elders
The Behavioral Health Program specifically addresses high rates of undiagnosed and undertreated mental health conditions in the community, working to reduce stigma and increase access to care in culturally and religiously grounded ways.
Othello Station Pharmacy
Our final stop was a visit with trusted community partners at Othello Station Pharmacy. Co-founder Dr. Abdirahman Tache shared how he and Dr. Ahmed Ali were inspired to open a locally owned pharmacy that truly serves the linguistic and cultural needs of the community.
The pharmacy provides services in more than 15 languages, ensuring patients can ask questions and receive clear, culturally sensitive guidance about their medications. Dr. Tache discussed common concerns such as medication confusion, adjusting regimens during fasting periods, and supporting adherence to preventive therapies.
Together, Othello Station Pharmacy and its sister location in Tukwila play a vital role in strengthening health literacy, medication safety, and trust in healthcare for immigrant communities in South Seattle.
Why These Connections Matter
This community tour reinforced an important truth: healthcare does not end at the hospital door. Community-based organizations are essential partners in advancing health equity. They provide trusted relationships, cultural understanding, language access, and wraparound services that allow patients to succeed long after a clinic visit ends.
By strengthening relationships between hospital providers and community organizations, we build a more connected, compassionate, and culturally responsive system of care — one that truly meets people where they are.
Our team was thrilled to receive a UW Medicine Well-Being Grant in 2025, which made it possible to launch Community Building Connections: a project designed to strengthen relationships between UW Medicine providers and the local organizations that form the backbone of health equity for our region’s refugee, immigrant, and migrant populations.
This half-day tour brought together UW Medicine residents, Harborview Medical Center (HMC) doctors, and staff to meet directly with community leaders. Each visit provided invaluable insight into the cultural and systemic barriers their communities face, while also helping our providers build a foundation of trust, understanding, and cultural humility with patients from diverse backgrounds.
Through these tours, participants reconnect with long-standing EthnoMed and HMC partners and form new relationships with organizations serving our shared patient populations. Together, these experiences deepen our collective understanding of cultural nuances and community-specific health needs.
If you are a UW Medicine and/or Harborview Medical Center student, resident, doctor, and staff and you would like to attend our next tour CLICK HERE to be added to our tour waitlist.
Casa Latina
Our first stop was Casa Latina, a Seattle nonprofit empowering the local Latino community through employment, education, and advocacy. We were welcomed by a lively group of members preparing for day-labor opportunities and skill-building classes.
Suzanne B., Education Program Manager, shared a passionate overview of Casa Latina’s programs, which include technology training, domestic violence awareness, community organizing, and support for the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. She also emphasized the importance of addressing stress-related health issues such as diabetes, substance use, and untreated trauma and noted opportunities for volunteers to help through shift dispatching or Spanish classes.
Our team excited for the morning ahead!
Ethiopian Community Seattle
Tsega speaking about services at the Ethiopian Community Seattle.
Next, we visited the Ethiopian Community Seattle, where Tsega D., Program and Housing Director, greeted us in a vibrant room filled with community art. Tsega discussed the organization’s work supporting housing, substance use, and mental health needs.
She shared how several faith leaders in the Ethiopian community completed Mental Health First Aid training to help recognize symptoms and reduce stigma around mental illness. Tsega also highlighted a key cultural consideration for healthcare providers: many Ethiopian Orthodox Christians fast up to 250 days a year, a practice that can significantly impact nutrition and medical care.
Congolese Integration Network
Francoise from Congolese Integration Network sharing emotional stories from her community
Our next presenter, Francoise M., Executive Director of the Congolese Integration Network, traveled from their SeaTac office to speak with our group of twenty. CIN supports families through early learning programs, women-to-women support, and culturally informed trauma care.
Francoise shared powerful reflections from new arrivals:
“We came to America to find rest and peace, but we sleep like animals and wake up like animals—engineers and doctors are now sleeping in tents.”
Her message underscored the profound stress faced by asylum seekers and the urgent need for trauma-informed, culturally responsive healthcare. She reminded us that trust is built through empathy, listening, and taking time to understand a patient’s cultural and historical context, her words deeply moved everyone in the room.
Mother Africa
Risho, Founder and Executive Director of Mother Africa discusses services available to her community
We then met Risho S., Founder and Executive Director of Mother Africa, an organization based in Kent that builds sustainable alliances for African refugees and immigrants. Originally from Sudan, Risho now leads a team of 33 staff members providing mentorship for refugee youth, seed funding for small businesses, and education programs for healthcare providers on topics such as FGM/C.
Mother Africa’s work is grounded in community language and values, for instance, using the term Support Sister instead of case manager to reflect a more culturally resonant model of care. Risho also invited healthcare providers to collaborate on addressing substance use and mental health concerns in the African diaspora community.
Othello Station Pharmacy
Dr. Ali, at the Othello Station Pharmacy discusses how he serves a diverse community in Seattle
Dr. Ali and his multilingual team (fluent in Amharic, Dari, Hungarian, Oromo, Tigrinya, and Vietnamese) at The Station Pharmacies provides an essential bridge for patients navigating complex medication regimens. He spoke about challenges such as vaccine hesitancy, chronic medication management, and confusion caused by differences in pill color or branding.
The pharmacy also offers an impressive suite of travel vaccines including yellow fever, typhoid, and malaria prophylaxis which drew enthusiastic attention from our Global Health residents.
Closing Reflections
The tour concluded with a delicious lunch from Bananas Grill, a locally owned restaurant. We’re deeply grateful to the Well-Being Grant for funding the meals, snacks, and coffee that fueled our learning and connection throughout the day.
Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive:
“This event really helped reinvigorate everyone who attended. It’s so important to see and understand the robustness of Seattle and King County’s diverse communities and how they support our patients.”
Another attendee shared:
“I find what you do to be so incredibly inspiring; doing for your communities so much more than I could possibly do in one clinic day, week, or month. I’m so grateful to hear how you’re supporting your communities.”
The day was everything we hoped for and more: an experience of insight, cultural awareness, and human connection. Community Building Connections reflects Harborview Medical Center’s core mission: learning from and with our communities to provide compassionate, equitable care for all.
Presentation at Casa Latina
Captivated audience on the Community Building TourCaptivated audience on the Community Building TourPharmacist, Dr. Ali presenting at the Othello Station Pharmacy
