Short film showcasing Coachella Valley collaborative effort to protect underserved residents from COVID-19 wins award

"To Live for the Harvest" was named the winner of the bronze award in the spring during the 44th Annual Telly Awards. 

Produced by OC World, the short-form documentary features interviews with Desert Healthcare District CEO Conrado Bárzaga and Chief of Community Engagement Alejandro Espinoza, who spotlight the work of the Coachella Valley Equity Collaborative to remove barriers to care and protective measures for farmworkers in the Coachella Valley. It also includes an interview with George Tudor, a farm owner in Mecca who was instrumental in providing access to farmworkers for the Collaborative.

Watch the documentary. 

The Healthcare District established the Collaborative in 2020 with the programmatic and financial support of the Riverside County Department of Public Health. The county provided an initial investment of $1.2 million, which the District awarded as grants to eight valley nonprofit organizations. Representatives from the grantees joined the District and county in strategizing efforts to bring educational and other resources to the valley's most vulnerable residents and their families. 

Since its start, the Collaborative has swelled at times to include up to 25 partners, including Rite Aid Pharmacies, CV Pharmacy, valley school districts, churches within the San Bernardino Catholic Diocese, and more. Their collective work, which centers the promotoras or community health workers as essential community liaisons, continues in 2023. 

Learn more about the Coachella Valley Equity Collaborative.