Meet the Team: Kristine Cecile Alarcon, MPH, Communications and Storytelling Manager

Welcome to our blog series, “Meet the AAPCHO Team,” where you’ll have a chance to get to know our staff! Meet Kristine Cecile Alarcon, MPH, Communications and Storytelling Manager, as she shares the meaning of her Asian American heritage this Asian American, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Social justice is the music of our communities. Just as music crosses language barriers and is a significant part of a culture, a unified community voice is inherent in all of our experiences.

Even though I grew up in a predominantly FilAm community, the phrase “isang bagsak,” which translates to “one down,” felt more meaningful in my life when I started working in public health. Seeing Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders and their dedication to addressing health inequities through my education and work, especially at AAPCHO, reminds me every day that I’m part of a movement that embodies solidarity and community strength.