Susie Conner Trujillo receives NMPHA award from Rep. Rebecca DowPhotos Courtesy of Rebecca Dow

Submitted by Chris DeBolt, MA, New Mexico Alliance of Health Councils Partnerships Manager

Public Health is everybody’s business and that important issue was front and center at the New Mexico Public Health Association’ s annual conference last week in Albuquerque, as a part of the celebration of National Public Health Week April 2 – 8.From left are Susie's husband Tony Trujillo,  Chris DeBolt, Awardee Susie Conner Trujillo and son-in-law Jason Quimby

Along with the hard and thoughtful work of the conference participants, annual awards are given for a variety of categories including Public Health Advocate.

This year Rep. Rebecca Dow of Tor C, along with some friends, submitted a nomination for one of Silver City's own, who richly deserved this recognition. Out of numerous candidates for all of the awards, Susie Connor Trujillo of Silver City, Grant County, was chosen to receive this award.

It was presented to her at the Awards Ceremony on Thursday, April 5.

"It was very rewarding to have such a huge organization, the New Mexico Public Health Alliance, recognize my efforts of advocacy for health in our southwest area," Susie Trujillo said. "I have spent most of my adult life on the Health Council and at the hospital, helping to shape policy and develop resources for our area. It has taken us five years to put together the pieces for Tu Casa. The county and the city came together to make Tu Casa work. I'm excited that it will integrate primary care and mental health services."  

"Needless to say, we are so proud of her and happy to have been part of having her hard work for many, many years be recognized at this level," DeBolt said. "Congratulations Susie! As the nomination read, 'though she be little, she be fierce!'"

For the New Mexico Chapter of the APHA, the conference theme for this 101st year of work was Frontier and Rural Health: Public Health 101 Essentials for Equity.

"We all know that our state has some very severe disparities in access to and benefits from adequate healthcare as well an overabundance of what is known as the 'social determinants of health.' They are real and have serious effects on some of our most vulnerable populations. The NMPHA strives to address the problems with some of the newest, cutting edge strategies that can help." DeBolt said.