Today we’d like to introduce you to Marlayna Bollinger.
Hi Marlayna, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
If I’m honest, my story began long before I was born. My tenacious spirit, passion, and courage have proven to be my greatest inheritance. I come from generations of fighters, those who refuse to turn a blind eye to injustice and will always find a way to grow from our failures. My story is a continuation of those who came before me.
As a torchbearer, I hope to shine a light on the inequities in our communities and present a pathway to sustainable change.
Initially, my only goals in life were to avoid being in healthcare or policy. Instead, my college education and career path were leading to life in the advertising world. I fancied myself being a big-time Ad Exec launching creative campaigns that wouldn’t just inform; they’d inspire. Unfortunately, I was so focused on actualizing the life I thought I wanted; I’d failed to realize the opportunity to inspire has always been there. I didn’t need a fancy office in a high-rise building. I just needed the courage to step up and join my family in the fight.
Health inequity has many forms, but it wasn’t until I saw the impact of these injustices in my family that I understood why ignoring the suffering of others would eventually lead to our own. In 2001, the moment that shook me, awakening my desire to engage, was seeing the anguish on my father’s face. He had just buried the last member of his immediate family. His parents and siblings had all been taken from him too early because they lacked access to quality health care. As a result, preventative diseases became the gateway to inevitable fate befallen those living in the wrong zip code.
A year later, I had officially left the advertising world and became an advocate for type 2 diabetes prevention. Knowing that a person’s zip code is a better predictor of their health outcome than their genetic code fuels my desire to create change. In 2021, the inequity faced by those in the wrong zip codes continues to drive me to take action. If those facing these daily injustices can continue to hold onto hope, I can find the daily passion, tenacity, and courage to fight for system-based change.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My path has never been easy. The amount of times I’ve been encouraged to quit outweighs the encouragement I’ve received to forge ahead. We were supposed to be the champion for the underserved. But no matter how many organizations supported our mission, when it came to taking action or funding, we felt silenced and as invisible as those we serve. Each time I wanted to give up, I thought about what my father always tells me. “Life is a cinch when you take it inch-by-inch. Life is hard when you take it by the yard.”
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Taking this inch-by-inch approach has helped our organization change from a single diabetes prevention program (serving 20 people) to an organization that helps create laws that impact the lives of over 12 million Californians. Our approach is simple, help one person make the behavior changes that lead to disease (like type 2 diabetes). That ripple effect of change will move from person to their home and later their community.
We don’t provide diets or quick fixes. Instead, our one-year lifestyle change program enables people to identify all the aspects of their lives that present opportunities or barriers to behavior change. Then, they create a plan to implement actions that support their success. By taking small steps toward sustainable change, our program graduate has the tools to change their health outcomes and become a catalyst for change in the community. One person, one inch at a time, can make one world of difference.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”- Seneca. I wholeheartedly believe this to be true. By seeing what changes need to be made, having the passion and tenacity to do something about it, we are considered trailblazers in the diabetes prevention sector. Our vision is to make diabetes prevention services accessible to all those who want the opportunity to improve their health. They only need the courage to show up.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@skinnygeneproject.org
- Website: www.skinnygeneproject.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skinnygeneproject
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SkinnyGeneProject
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChD_EGxRUotaW7v94Fk6sjQ
- Other: https://jmftraining.org and https://www.classy.org/give/126394/#!/donation/checkout
Image Credits:
Skinny Gene Project
