Climate change is increasingly shaping why people are forced to leave their homes, the risks they face along the way, and their health and safety in new places.

Today's guest is Marysel Pagán Santana, DrPH, MS, the Director of Environmental and Occupational Health of Migrant Clinicians Network in Puerto Rico. She leads and coordinates MCN projects related to occupational health, disaster preparedness, and emergency response. She sits down with host Dr. Lisa Patel to explore who is affected, what health systems can do to better understand their needs to ensure continuity of care, and how seeing migration as normal can help us build stronger communities.

Migrant Clinicians Network:

https://www.migrantclinician.org/

MCN Health Network:

https://www.migrantclinician.org/our-work/health-network.html

Support our work and become a member of the Consortium here: https://medsocietiesforclimatehealth.org/donate-or-become-a-member/

 Healthy Climate America is produced by Savannah Martincic. Our podcast consultant is Julie Hantman. Our podcast intern is Isaias Segui. Our music was composed by James Harp.

 In this special mini episode, we're taking a moment to reflect on where we've been this year and to look ahead at what the path forward may hold in 2026.

Support our work and become a member of the Consortium here: https://medsocietiesforclimatehealth.org/donate-or-become-a-member/

 Healthy Climate America is produced by Savannah Martincic. Our podcast consultant is Julie Hantman. Our podcast intern is Isaias Segui. Our music was composed by James Harp.

Cancer Alley is an 85-mile stretch of land from  New Orleans to Baton Rouge. With the largest density of petrochemical operations in the world, the area is ground zero for environmental injustice and human rights violations. Sharon Lavigne is a pioneering organizer who resides along Cancer Alley in St. James Parish, Louisiana. She's a former special education teacher who founded RISE St. James to push back against the proliferation of petrochemical industries.

In this episode, Sharon reflects on the health harms her community faces, the fight against industry presence, and what healthcare professionals can do to be better allies in this advocacy.

If you would like to support Sharon and RISE St. James, please click here: https://risestjames.org/. Their work is truly a fight to survive, thrive, and prosper. We can do our part by not looking away and lending our time, energy, and resources to a healthier, safer future.

Healthy Climate America is produced by Savannah Martincic. Our podcast consultant is Julie Hantman. Our podcast intern is Isaias Segui. Our music was composed by James Harp.