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Our Health, Our Story
Why We’re Still Fighting for the Care We Deserve
At Heritage Health Network, we know that navigating the healthcare system as a person of color can feel exhausting. Many of us have been overlooked, dismissed, or made to feel invisible in moments when we needed care the most. This guide is for our communities—for those carrying the weight of injustice and still choosing to seek healing. You’re not alone, and you shouldn’t have to fight for care that should have always been there.
We Know What It’s Like
We’ve seen it in our families. In our neighborhoods. In our own lives.
A loved one with diabetes who couldn’t afford insulin. A friend with chest pain who was told to “wait it out.” A neighbor who died too young from something that could’ve been treated—if only someone had listened.
These aren’t isolated stories. They’re a pattern.
Black, Latino, Indigenous, and other communities of color are still dying more often from things that should be preventable—like high blood pressure, asthma, and cancer. And it’s not because we don’t care about our health. It’s because the system wasn’t built for us.
Too often, we show up late to care—not because we want to, but because we didn’t have insurance, couldn’t get time off work, didn’t speak the language, or didn’t feel safe walking into a clinic that didn’t look like us or listen to us.
And still—we show up. Every day. For our families. For our survival. For each other.
How We Take Back Our Power
We’ve always found ways to care for each other—through faith, community, resilience, and love. And we’ll keep doing that. But we also deserve access to real care, from a system that respects us and meets us where we are.
Here are a few steps we can take:
- Ask questions and demand answers. Your voice matters in every doctor’s visit, no matter your background or zip code.
- Know what you qualify for. If you have Medi-Cal, you might already be eligible for support through Enhanced Care Management—care that helps with your health, mental wellness, housing, food, and more.
- Look for providers who understand you. Cultural respect, language, and trust aren’t luxuries. They’re essentials.
Most of all: Don’t wait until it’s too late. You are worth the effort. Your health matters. And you shouldn’t have to figure it all out on your own.
What We’re Doing at Heritage
At Heritage Health Network, we aren’t here to judge—we’re here to walk with you. Many of us have been through the same struggles. That’s why we built a care model that works with you, not above you.
We can help you:
- Find a doctor who listens
- Navigate the system
- Access therapy or addiction support
- Get housing help or food resources
- Understand your medications
- And simply, have someone to call when you need support
We show up not just once, but consistently. Because our people deserve care that’s built on trust—not just paperwork.
We’ve lost too many loved ones already. Too many lives cut short, too many stories left unfinished. But we also carry strength, wisdom, and a deep history of healing—together.
You’re not alone. You’re not invisible. And you don’t have to wait.
Let’s take the first step—together.