Sebastián Martínez Valdivia
Sebastián Martínez Valdivia is a health reporter and documentary filmmaker who focuses on access to care in rural and immigrant communities. A native Spanish speaker and lifelong Missouri resident, Sebastián is interested in the often overlooked and under-covered world of immigrant life in the rural midwest. He has a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Missouri and a master's degree in documentary journalism at the same institution. Aside from public health, his other interests include conservation, climate change and ecology.
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Missouri Republicans are trying to avoid funding an expansion that would give 275,000 people health insurance. Democrats argue they are pushing ideology over the will of the people. -
Last year, Missouri voters added Medicaid expansion to the state constitution through a ballot measure. But there's a major hiccup: the GOP-controlled legislature refuses to fund expanded coverage.
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Rural Carthage, Mo., is home to a growing community of Latin American immigrants. Language barriers and economic stress have made it harder to slow the spread of COVID-19. -
Latinx communities have been disproportionately hit by the coronavirus. But helping recent immigrants understand how to protect themselves is complicated, especially in rural areas.
