I have always believed that creating a healthier community requires more than treating illness. Good health begins with the basic things people need every day: safe water, nutritious food, a healthy environment and access to resources that allow them to live with dignity. This belief has shaped my decision to pursue a master’s of public health degree at the University of Illinois Springfield and continues to shape my understanding of what public health truly means.
My name is Muqaddas Kareem, and I am a graduate student at the University of Illinois Springfield. My passion for public health comes from wanting to understand the bigger picture of health and the social, economic, and environmental conditions that influence people’s well-being. I believe health should be measured not simply by the absence of disease, but also by whether people have the basic resources and opportunities they need to live healthy lives.
When we talk about good health, we often think about hospitals, doctors and medications. But health begins much earlier than that. It begins with having clean and safe water to drink and nutritious food that provides the basic nutrients our bodies need. Having food available is not always the same as having access to healthy food. To me, good food means nourishment that supports our bodies and helps us remain healthy. Access to these necessities should not be a privilege; everyone deserves the opportunity to have them.
This has strengthened my interest in health equity. To me, health equity means recognizing that not everyone begins from the same place. Treating everyone the same does not always create fairness. Sometimes, creating healthier communities means understanding the barriers people face and working together to address them.
Through my work with the Faith Coalition for the Common Good, I have learned that meaningful change does not always begin with something large or complicated. It can begin with a conversation, a community meeting, a person sharing an experience, or neighbors coming together around a shared concern. Participating in meetings and one-on-one conversations has shown me how these small moments can build trust, create awareness and gradually lead to action.
One of the most important lessons from my internship has been the value of listening to the community. People living within a community understand its challenges in ways that cannot always be captured by statistics or reports. Their experiences, concerns, and ideas can help identify problems and guide practical solutions. I have come to understand that advocacy is not simply about speaking for people; it is also about creating opportunities for people to speak for themselves and helping connect their concerns with useful information and resources.
My current work has focused on radon awareness as an environmental health and safe housing issue. I have communicated with environmental health professionals, met with my internship supervisor and a UIS faculty member, and began developing a clear, one-page educational handout for community members. On Oct. 29, I will co-host an educational workshop on radon, where FCCG will have radon testing kits available for community members to check their homes for radon risks. The event will take place from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at a location to be announced.
This educational community session is part of our Springfield Safe Housing Campaign. As we encourage community members to vote in this election to support safe housing for all, we also want to provide educational opportunities, such as this workshop and our previous Mold and Lead Workshop, to help community members learn about potential health hazards in their homes. This experience is helping me connect public health knowledge with community organizing, health communication and practical action.
For me, public health is about more than preventing disease. It is about creating communities where people have access to clean water, nutritious food, a healthy environment, and the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.
My experience with the Faith Coalition for the Common Good continues to remind me that meaningful change can start small. A conversation can create understanding. A survey response can help identify a need. A handout or community meeting can connect someone with information that protects their health. When people come together, these small actions can become the beginning of something much bigger.
Sometimes, all it takes to begin creating change is someone willing to listen.
Muqaddas Kadeem is an intern with the Faith Coalition for the Common Good and a graduate student at University of Illinois at Springfield mastering in public health. If you have any questions or want more information on how to get involved, email info@faithcoalition-il.org or visit https://faithcoalition-il.org/.
This article appears in October 8-14, 2026.
