The Power of Her Voice: Poetry Reading Benefit for Santa Cruz Community Health

For decades Santa Cruz Community Health has faithfully pursued its mission to improve the health of its patients and the community and advocate the feminist goals of social, political, and economic equality. On December 4th the public is invited to enjoy “The Power of Her Voice” featuring Poet Ellen Bass and many others. Join host Christine Barrington interviewing Dena Loijos, Community Health’s Chief Strategy and Impact Officer, along with event lead, Patrice Vecchione, and poet Dion O’Reilly to share why this event is a call to come together in a moment when progress must be defended, and the voices of those impacted must be amplified.

This milestone event will honor Community Health’s history, celebrate its achievements, and gaze forward to a future of continued service and advocacy. The evening features a series of Monterey Bay Area poets sharing their voices. Ellen Bass headlines the event, joined by poets Terri Drake, Nancy Fowler, Teri Ketchie, Veronica Kornberg, Jennifer Lagier, Ruth Mota, Dion O’Reilly, Linda Serrato, and Patrice Vecchione, who will read from the anthology Women in a Golden State: California Poets at 60 and Beyond.

Thursday, December 4, 2025, 7:00 PM. Temple Beth El: 3055 Porter Gulch Road, Aptos. 

Tickets are on sale now. To learn more and purchase tickets: https://www.schealthcenters.org/the-power-of-her-voice-a-benefit-poetry-reading-for-scch/

Enjoy an evening of poetry, community, and connection. Light refreshments will be served, and books will be available for purchase at the event.

About Santa Cruz Community Health

Through the Santa Cruz Women’s Health Center, Santa Cruz Mountain Health Center and our new Live Oak Health Center, Santa Cruz Community Health (a Federally Qualified Health Center) provides comprehensive primary care services in English and Spanish to all ages, genders, ethnicities, abilities and sexual orientation, regardless of their ability to pay.  SCCH’s health centers serve over 13,000 patients through a dedicated staff of medical providers, nurses, licensed clinical social workers, health educators, and administrative personnel.

Since its founding, SCCH has remained committed to health care as a human right and has continuously worked to advocate for social, political, and economic equality. Today, that mission is under a renewed threat. Across the country, efforts to undermine access to essential primary health care and weaken critical health protections continue to escalate. These dangerous shifts put lifesaving care at risk and compound the financial burdens facing community health centers that provide vital services for underserved communities.