CHSS Connection

CHSS is holding a holiday gathering for faculty and staff on Thursday, December 7, from 2 to 5 p.m. to recognize the hard work we have put in collectively as a college and celebrate the end of the semester. The location will be the patio on the 5th Floor ADM Building. There will be appetizers, desserts, coffee, hot tea, cranberry ice tea and water.

For catering purposes, please let us know if you’ll be able to join us by 4 p.m. tomorrow, November 30. (There will be name tags for those who RSVP.)

The CHSS RACE Initiative invites you to join its inaugural Learning/Unlearning Circle, Disrupting the Master’s Tools: An Audre Lorde Framework of Radical Self & Community Care in the Academy, hosted by Director of Healing Circles and Associate Professor of Child & Adolescent Development Sherria Taylor on Friday, December 8, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m via Zoom.

This Learning/Unlearning Circle will support us in understanding and reimagining radical self and community care as envisioned by Audre Lorde, a Black, queer, unapologetic poet, author, activist and professor who drew attention to the fact that dominant narratives of coping and healing had been designed solely with white, heterosexual individuals in mind. Although mainstream discourse surrounding self-care has increased over the past 10 years, much of it is grounded in capitalistic and white supremacist foci on “doing” rather than being and, for people of color, are often disconnected from the traditions, rituals and relationships that serve to protect, nourish and care for our souls and “being-ness” while doing the work of dismantling oppressive systems that we did not create.

Associate Professor of Kinesiology Nicole Bolter presented at the Western Society for Physical Education of College Women annual conference, which took place Nov. 16 – 19 in Pacific Grove, California. Co-authors included two undergraduate researchers, Alexa Carreon and Kimberly DeBoer, who worked on data analysis and interpretation as part of their culminating experiences as kinesiology majors. The presentation was titled, “Exploring Parents’/Guardians’ Reasons for Not Retuning to a Sports-Based Youth Development Program.” The authors reported on the qualitative reasons why parents/guardians might not re-enroll their child in a sports-based youth development program called the Junior Giants — a free non-competitive coed summer baseball and softball league that serves 30,000 players each year. This work is supported by a grant from the Giants Community Fund to evaluate the program and widely disseminate the findings.

Bolter published a book on Nov. 14, titled, “The Self-Regulated Eater: Trust Your Body, Trust Yourself, Transform Your Eating,” which focuses on helping people transition from the external control of a diet mindset to internal regulation. The book was a mother-daughter collaboration with Kay Bolter, a clinical psychologist with 30 years of expertise in the treatment of eating disorders. Kay Bolter is also an SF State alumna, having received her master’s degree in special education in 1975. The book is intended for practitioners and educators who work with individuals that struggle with emotional eating and bingeing.

Pictured (left to right): Russell Jeung, Grace Yoo, Emiko Takagi, Valerie Francisco-Menchavez, Zubaida Qamar and Supriya Misra

Supriya Misra, assistant professor of public health, and Zubaida Qamar, associate professor of nutrition and dietetics, hosted a successful Asian Health Symposium at SF State on November 8. Supported by the Asian American Research Center on Health and the Health Equity Institute, the event brought together a dynamic blend of speakers, students, community members, researchers and mentors, fostering a collaborative space for knowledge exchange and meaningful connections. The event was well-attended both in-person and virtually on Zoom. The discussions ranged from general well-being to addressing critical mental health challenges unique to the Asian and Asian American community. 

Amy Sueyoshi, SF State provost, and Dr. Tung Nguyen, UCSF professor of medicine and associate vice chancellor for research inclusion, diversity, equity and anti-racism, gave remarks. Grace Yoo, dean of the College of Ethnic Studies, moderated the insightful talks by speakers Russell Jeung, professor of Asian American studies, co-founder of the STOP AAPI Hate Initiative and one of the TIME 100 Most Influential Persons in 2021; Valerie Francisco-Mechavez, CHSS assistant dean for restorative and transformative racial justice and associate professor of sociology; and Emiko Takagi, associate professor of gerontology.

The organizers would like to extend gratitude to the mentors, which include leading Asian health scholars in the Bay Area, as well as colleagues from AA&PI Student Services, Health Promotion and Wellness, and Student Health Services. They also give kudos to the dedicated student leaders who organized a wellness space, providing a supportive environment to decompress and connect and elevating the importance of holistic well-being.

For a link to the video recording or any other questions, please contact the co-organizers, Zubaida Qamar and Supriya Misra.

Professor Erik Peper (Institute for Holistic Health Studies/Department of Recreation, Parks & Tourism) coauthored an article titled, “Differentiating Successful from Less Successful Males and Females in a Group Relaxation/Biofeedback Stress Management Program,” in the Fall 2023 issue of Biofeedback. Peper also coauthored another article, “Mouth Breathing and Tongue Position: A Risk Factor for Health,” in the same issue.

An article by Peper and Professor Richard Harvey (Institute for Holistic Health Studies/Department of Recreation, Parks & Tourism) titled, “Hope for Menstrual Cramps (Dysmenorrhea) with Breathing,” which was originally published in Biofeedback, was reprinted in the Townsend Letter.

Rachel Scherr, a nutrition and dietetics lecturer in the Family, Interiors, Nutrition & Apparel Department, has co-authored a publication titled “Methods for Assessing Health Outcomes Associated with Food Insecurity in the US College Student Population: A Narrative Review” in the journal Advances in Nutrition (Impact Factor 9.3). Her co-authors are Marcela Radtke (2023 Propel Postdoctoral Fellow, Epidemiology & Population Health, Stanford University School of Medicine) and Francene Steinberg (UC Davis Department of Nutrition).

The SF State Jumpstart Program held a successful “Read for the Record” event with the San Francisco Public Library on November 4. This celebration of early learning and literacy reflected the cultural and linguistic diversity of San Francisco's communities.

Children and families engaged in literacy-based activities, creatively designed by SF State Jumpstart mentees, sparking joy and creativity. The event highlighted “With Lots of Love/Con Mucho Amor,” by Jenny Torres Sanchez, and “Naming Ceremony,” by Seina Wedlick. These books connected the audience to diverse cultures and provided young readers with reflections of themselves. Wedlick read from her work, sharing Nigerian traditions and artifacts. Her session was more than a reading; it was a cultural immersion. Activities complementing the storytelling were not just fun, but educational, making stories a tangible reality for the children. Ashley Williams, SF State graduate and Jumpstart’s VP of programs, emphasized early childhood literacy's role in shaping life stories and understanding diverse experiences.

Jumpstart thanks its mentees and the San Francisco Public Library staff for creating a memorable experience that has fueled a passion for reading.

SF State Jumpstart is looking for new mentees to join in promoting early literacy and educational equity in San Francisco. If you know an SF State student interested in education and community impact, please encourage them to apply.