Spearheaded by Sanya Dhama, a UCR School of Medicine student, the Women’s Health Fair took place in downtown Riverside on Nov. 12. Several organizations — Planned Parenthood, NORA, Reach Out, Safe Family Justice Center, Sacred Village Doula, and others from across the city — worked with UCR volunteers to educate the public on topics pertinent to women’s health. Guests and patients went from table to table to learn about these topics and win prizes such as candy and glow sticks.

“The fair’s goal was to serve all community members and to highlight aspects of health that aren’t always traditionally recognized as ‘health’ but are deeply important — such as support for domestic violence survivors, access to resources, and the broader social and structural factors that shape well-being,” Dhama said.

Plans are underway to make the Women’s Health Fair an annual event.

The Riverside Free Clinic, which operates from a Riverside church every other Wednesday evening, hosted the fair. The clinic serves two vital communities: underserved patients and aspiring medical professionals. It is primarily managed by medical students from the UCR School of Medicine.