Surprising Strengths of the Chicago Health Corps

This post was written by CHC member Jessalyn Bertone.

Jessalyn serves at the Respiratory Health Association as an Asthma Educator.

How did I become a Chicago Health Corps (CHC) member? That's a funny story. Let's backtrack. I graduated in May with a degree in media production. My classmates moved to L.A. to work on film sets or went to big companies to work in various communications positions. I spent months going to interviews for similar roles, all the while feeling a desire to find something where I could help people instead. That's when I found out about the CHC. In a whirlwind of events, I was accepted into the program, packed my bags and my puppy, and moved from Cleveland to Chicago all in two weeks.

Skip forward again to the first morning of Pre-Service Orientation (PSO). Within ten minutes, I grew nervous. I sat at the conference table and listened to them describe aspirations of going to medical schools or pursuing a Masters of Public Health and felt the buzz of a room filled with intelligence and drive. I wondered how I ended up in a program full of future doctors. I was intimidated.

We were instructed to do an ice-breaker where we shared a personal item and its meaning. Truthfully, feeling like the only non-science person in the bunch, I half expected people to share about their stethoscopes or MCAT prep books. I was wrong. The thing that came as a surprise to me was how much heart each and every CHC member has. Yenling shared a photograph of her family and opened up about her past. Apiffani showed us her iPad - many times cracked, lost, or damaged. We all laughed along with her at first (she has a contagious smile and laugh, we couldn't help it!) but sat reflectively as she used the iPad to beautifully illustrate the value of personal connections over material possessions. Finally, Kevin shared his item. He is tall, confident, and has an air of always being put together. I was surprised when he shared with us a watch that his father had given to him before he passed away from cancer only two years ago. Going through that experience was why he decided to postpone med school for a year of service, he explained. I never would have guessed.

After a morning of feeling a little out of place, a feeling of belonging began to sink in. No, I don't necessarily understand all of the health conversations my new friends are having, but they don't mind filling me in and I am learning. What I do understand, however, is their compassion. Our backgrounds may be different, but we all made the same choice. We have come together as the 2014-2015 CHC with the skills and hearts to serve our city. We are proud to be part of the big picture that is AmeriCorps. It is an amazing feeling to know that I will make an impact in Chicago alongside these wonderful people who I know I will call my lifelong friends.