My family’s experience with health care has shown me how differently people can move through the same system, and most importantly, how much trust, communication, and cultural understanding shape the care people receive. It has also shown me that health is about more than what happens in a doctor’s office. The ability to access care, understand medical information, advocate for your family, and be treated with dignity is shaped by larger forces — including race, money, and power. Those realities are at the heart of Building the Power to Be Well, Cal Wellness’ new strategic framework, which recognizes that health is shaped not only by who has access to medical care but also by who has a voice in the decisions and systems that affect their lives.
My parents are immigrants who speak limited English. Like many children of immigrant parents, my sister and I often helped translate for them. But we quickly learned that language is only one barrier. Health care is filled with complex terminology and systems can be difficult to navigate, even for people who are fluent in English. During both minor procedures and serious health challenges, it felt like we needed someone to translate the medical language before we could translate it into Mandarin for them.
My father, Waytai (Paul) has navigated cancer, a stroke, and ongoing health issues. As retirees living on a fixed income, my parents are fortunate to have health insurance that helps cover their complex medical needs. Their experience has shown me that even with insurance, health care choices are often shaped as much by affordability as by preference. While people often talk about choosing the “best” doctor, the reality is that many patients are limited to the providers available within their network.
Fortunately, my father found a primary care doctor who made all the difference. The doctor speaks Mandarin, takes time to answer questions, and respects my father’s belief in traditional Chinese medicine rather than dismissing it, often letting him know which Chinese herbs will and won’t affect the Western medications he’s taking. The doctor will also offer advice regarding other doctors responsible for my father’s care (such as optometrists and others), including recommendations on who he should or shouldn’t see. Once my father felt understood and developed that level of trust with his doctor, he became more engaged in his care. He asked more questions, followed medical guidance more consistently, and felt comfortable discussing concerns openly. He’s more trusting of Western medical advice. And it’s because he’s no longer just being treated for a condition, he was being cared for as a whole person.
My father’s experience is in stark contrast to others in my family where care often felt rushed and difficult to navigate. Those differences taught me that health care is about more than diagnoses and treatments. It’s also about dignity. Dignity means being heard, having your questions answered, and feeling that your values and experiences matter.
My father often points out another reality that many families know too well: money creates options. While some people can travel across the country to access world-renowned specialists, many others cannot. For families living on fixed incomes, health care choices are constrained by cost, insurance networks, transportation, and many other factors. Access to high-quality care should not depend on financial privilege, yet it too often does.
This is why Cal Wellness’ vision for health care matters. Building a more just health care system means creating care that is accessible, focuses on both prevention and treatment, and is responsive to community needs and culture. It means building a system where trust can flourish and where families are not left to carry the burden of translating, coordinating care, advocating for loved ones, and navigating bureaucracy on their own. It also means holding the health care system accountable for closing (not just measuring) the racial and economic gaps in health outcomes. People should not need extraordinary persistence or luck to receive respectful, high-quality care.
Building the Power to Be Well recognizes that the communities most affected by the health care system’s shortcomings are also best positioned to help transform it. Women of color, immigrants, caregivers, people with disabilities and others already do the often-invisible work of holding families and communities together. They understand what’s missing because they live it every day.
My father’s story reminds me that this work is not an abstract concept. It's trust. It's being heard in your own language, having your beliefs respected, and feeling safe enough to ask questions and confident enough to participate in your own care. It’s also a reminder of what becomes possible when health care honors cultural beliefs and practices, prioritizes prevention, treatment, and long-term well-being, and responds to the needs of the communities it serves.
Building the Power to Be Well imagines a future where all Californians can experience care with trust, dignity, and respect. Not because they were fortunate enough to find the right doctor, but because that is how our health care system should work for everyone.
