HomeMy WebLinkAboutRivera, Kevin John (Upon appt.-6/30/23) Appt. 11/17/206 years
Occupation:
Resident Physician
Gender*
'This question is rrandatory in order for the City to comply with the State's gender balance requirement, which treats gender as binary. "Gender Identity" rray
be provided in the Derrographics sectionof the application below.
V Male
r Female
Experience and/or activities which you feel qualifyyou for this position:*
Thank you for your consideration in my application for the vacancy on ad hoc Truth and Reconciliation
Commission. My name is Kevin "Kevo" Rivera. I am a Filipino -American, born of immigrant parents. I also
identify as queer, agender, and I respond to any and all pronouns including he, she, and they.
I am currently a senior resident in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. My
clinical interests include cultural psychiatry, LGBTQ+ health, community and public psychiatry, and refugee
and immigrant mental health. I currently serve on my department's Diversity Committee, and I am a Diversity
Leadership Fellow with the American Psychiatric Association. Sitting at the crossroads of medicine and other
allied mental health professions, my job begins with listening to the personal and generational histories of my
patients and clients, and it requires that I understand the social factors which can disrupt their health and
wellbeing. This includes how culture, government, businesses, and institutions —especially healthcare —
interact to selectively impede the equal standing of Black and other disadvantaged people in our society. But
listening alone is not an effective intervention; my work requires that I shoulder the burden alongside my
patients and clients to create a path forward through partnership, creative problem -solving, and continuous
reassessment.
Prior to my medical training, my experiences were rooted in grassroots mobilization and international human
rights advocacy. Having spent years in activism and social movements, I carry within me a sympathetic ear for
those who have done the same. Specifically, I honor the languages of grief and of anger as appropriate
responses to chronic forces that keep people pushed to the margins. Activism is also imbued with a spirit of
celebration and tenacity. As a commissioner, I hope that I would be able to make explicit this connection: that
when we make progress elevating our neighbors who are suffering, it's a win for us all.
My commitment to the community of Iowa City is ever-growing. I have been an active member of my faith
community. I have assisted in enhancing the relationship between our healthcare system and our local
refugees and immigrants. I proudly use my body and my presentation as a means to create a safer and more
inclusive environment for our LGBTQ+ family. I promote the work of local organizations who are committed to
uplifting our youth, our unhoused, and our ill. Serving on this commission would be a response to the love and
welcoming I have received since calling this city home. Thank you again for your consideration.
What is your present knowledge of each advisory board you are interested in?*
I would first like to acknowledge that the individuals who would sit on this commission would be privileged with
leadership roles that were created as a response to the unjust deaths of Black women and men; this fact must
be top of mind for the commissioners. This commission would not be possible were it not for the advocacy of
the Iowa Freedom Riders and the Black Voices Project; I also thank City Councilors Laura Bergus and Janice
Weiner for prioritizing the creation of this commission.
Dr. Cornel West has said, "You must let suffering speak if you want to tell the truth." I won't reiterate the details
of Resolution 20-228 here, but I will highlight that the three charges of this commission include fact-finding,
truth -telling, and reconciliation. How these charges manifest are yet to be seen, as we must first let the
suffering speak.
Please contact the City Attorney at 356-5030 to discuss questions or concerns regarding a potential conflict
of interest. The following describe some but not all potential conflicts.
Potential Conflicts of Interest
The Housing and Community Development Commission makes recommendations to the City Council