Bakersfield, California —
Even when he was a child, healthcare was top of mind for Humberto Rico.
Like many children who grew up in the Central Valley — known for having some of the worst air quality in the country — he had asthma that would sometimes leave him bedridden for days. He still helps his immigrant parents schedule their doctors’ appointments. And he has family members who depend on Medicaid for health insurance.
“In the Central Valley, it’s not really something we have the privilege to
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