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Testimonials

Poverty and Health Care

Eastern Oregon Coordinated Care Organization Summit

September 9, 2016


Excerpt from evaluation:

What was the most helpful aspect of this training?

  • Useful reminders
  • Strategies
  • A lot of VERY good information
  • All was helpful
  • Information in regards to the changes coming up in life that we can help people navigate through
  • Very informational
  • Bringing up different way of looking at poverty and reminding it's not always a choice
  • Discussion about strategies for empowerment of individuals in poverty
  • Awareness - generally, of the root causes of poverty
  • Review of root causes
  • Emphasis on what is and is not a choice in terms of poverty

Power & Privilege Training for HealthShare CCO

June 16, 2015 - 1 Hour "lunch & learn"


Excerpt from evaluation:

Today, what impressed me or interested me most was........

  • I liked the speaker's style of communication
  • The skill of the trainer in making people feel comfortable. She was very personable and easy to talk to.
  • her teaching style
  • the exercises that emphasized looking at yourself and defining "unearned" privilege. The examples given were really thought provoking.
  • The speaker gave life examples which gave me a different perspective.
  • The multiple ways of framing privilege
  • She was personal with her experiences, I liked that.
  • How the same issue can leave you disadvantaged or privileged depending on the group or situation.

"Sonya,


I am so impressed with your assessment and analysis. I especially appreciate it’s depth, detail, and clarity; its inclusion of specific, actionable recommendations; and its positive and supportive tone.


I am eager to share it with Matt and to begin the work of determining how best to share it with staff...


Thanks, Sonya, for such good and thoughtful work."

Laurie Hoyle

Central Oregon Council on Aging

09/28/2015

Sonya,


Thank you for taking time away from your family and professional responsibilities to travel to Butte, Montana to make a presentation at the Montana Crime Prevention Conference.

Your presentation covered so many important topics for Montana Juvenile Justice Professionals including:

  • Understanding how to more effectively relate to and engage youth and families
  • The impact of earned and unearned advantage and how that translates to understanding a youth’s behavior
  • How poverty and racial/ethnic culture impact juvenile justice youth
  • How smaller jurisdictions can be progressive and develop a first-class juvenile justice system
Sonya your personal story combined with your professional wisdom uniquely qualifies as an “expert” and highly recognized speaker/presenter. You have a talent in inspiring professionals to become more effective by personally/professionally better understanding themselves and the youth and families they serve.


I particularly enjoyed learning more about the work you are doing with girls and DMC reduction in Jefferson County. Traveling is time-consuming and tiring and I really appreciate the efforts you made to help juvenile justice professionals in Montana have a deeper understanding of how to be more effective with youth and to improve their juvenile courts.


Rand Young, JDAI Team Leader 

 October 21, 2011

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