A conversation with Celeste Calderon and Dr. Miranda Worthen

by Jon Scaccia April 7, 2025

Lemonade Stands Up for Public Health: Turning Helplessness into Action

At San José State University, students, faculty, and staff recently came together to transform feelings of helplessness into meaningful action. What started as a simple conversation about uncertainty in public health grew into a creative, community-driven initiative: Lemonade Stands for Public Health. Led by three student organizations in the public health department and supported by faculty and staff, the event combined advocacy with a tangible, hands-on activity—selling lemonade to fund postcards that urged policymakers to preserve public health data and expressed gratitude to public health workers navigating increasingly difficult challenges.

This initiative was inspired by conversations with students who were grappling with frustration and despair, seeking ways to take action but unsure of where to start. It was also, as co-organizer Dr. Miranda Worthen puts it, born from the abundance of lemons on her tree. The simple yet powerful act of making lemonade and writing postcards created an accessible entry point for students to engage in advocacy—no expertise required, just a willingness to participate.

In this conversation, we hear from Dr. Miranda Worthen, a professor at San José State University specializing in public health and social justice, and Celeste Calderon, an MPH candidate and president of the Master of Public Health Student Association, about how this event came to life, why small acts of collective organizing matter, and what public health students and professionals can do to integrate advocacy into their work.

Can you walk us through the genesis of Lemonade Stands for Public Health? How did it evolve from an idea into something that was actually implemented?

Celeste: During one of my check-ins with Miranda, I was sharing that a lot of the feedback I was getting from my cohort—along with my own lived experience—was a sense of uncertainty given the current climate, particularly with executive orders and how they’re impacting our field. In response, Miranda said she had a great idea. She had been brainstorming an activity with Anji Buckner, another professor in our department, and they wanted to create a space for discussion.

Miranda asked if I’d feel comfortable taking the lead on it, and I thought it was a great opportunity. From there, we developed a listening session for both undergraduate and graduate students. That’s how it all started.

Miranda: So as a faculty member, I was encountering students who were really struggling. Celeste works with me on a research project, but she’s also the president of our MPH Student Association. At the time, I was primarily teaching undergraduates, and right after my conversation with Celeste, I had another moment that really stuck with me.

One of my students, who I know well, stayed behind after class while everyone else had left. I sat down next to her and asked, ‘How are you doing?’ She sighed and said, ‘It’s heavy. Everything just feels really hard right now.’ She mentioned that a couple of years ago, the department had organized an advocacy day where students wrote postcards, and she really appreciated that because it gave them a structured way to take action. That got us talking about different things we could do.

I had recently seen an email with a list of 30 simple actions—small things that wouldn’t change the world overnight but could still make an impact. So, we pulled up that email together and looked through it. I also told her about the listening session that Celeste was organizing in just a couple of days. When I attended that session, I had this conversation fresh in my mind.

At the listening session, we were both focused on understanding students’ experiences, but I was also thinking about my mother, Kaethe Weingarten, who is a psychologist and a community psychologist. She developed something called the Witnessing Model, which suggests that when you’re aware of an issue but feel powerless to act, it can create a deep sense of moral distress. However, if you take even a small action—something that might not change the entire system but allows you to acknowledge the issue and connect with others who see it too—it can move you from a state of helplessness to empowerment.

That idea really resonated with us, and through our discussion at the listening session, we came up with the idea of combining postcard writing with a lemonade stand. We also thought about adding thank-you notes because one student shared their perspective on how challenging public health work had become—especially with layoffs affecting students in the field. Celeste had also mentioned this earlier. We realized that even small acts, like sending a thank-you card, could be meaningful.

From a community psychology perspective, another key thing happened: we kept talking about it. What could have just remained an idea floating in the air started to feel real because we kept naming it and committing to it. At some point, Celeste said, ‘So… when are we actually going to do this?’ That was the turning point. We set a date, Celeste designed a poster—which turned out to be so beautiful that it inspired even more momentum—and suddenly, it was happening.

In so many different settings shared despair is palpable. What you’ve done here, in such a creative way, isn’t just symbolic—it’s something real. It gives people a way to feel like they’re meaningfully contributing to change.

Miranda. Celeste and I were just talking about this. I want you to share your thoughts too, Celeste, but I’ll just say—what I find so cool about this action is that there are so many on-ramps.

You can bring a lemon—this is California, after all, lots of people have lemon trees! You can write a postcard. You can buy a glass of lemonade. None of these actions are huge, and they don’t require a PhD, political power, or any special expertise. Anyone can take part, and I think that accessibility is what makes it so powerful.

Celeste. so we had just set up the tent and were getting started. I think Miranda had walked over to where the nursing students were across the way. Our librarian, Adriana Poo—who is amazing—was out there, really being a strong advocate for getting people engaged.

I looked over to my right and saw the Associated Students table. I went over and said, In terms of collaboration and supporting one another, if you’re comfortable writing some postcards and maybe buying some lemonade, I’d love to return the favor and bring some of our peers over to your table.

What really stood out to me was this moment when one student came over and said, I really want to help, but I have no idea where to start. I tried to guide him by asking, How are you feeling? Have you noticed any changes with the administration? Are there things going well? Things you’d like to change? But the more questions I asked, the more overwhelmed he seemed. Eventually, he said something like, I don’t even know what I don’t know. I don’t know how I feel. And in that moment, I realized—he felt like he should know what to say or do, but he didn’t even know where to begin.

That really struck me. It showed me how much more work there is to do in terms of bringing people into these conversations. I was talking to Miranda later, wondering, Do people even know the difference between a federal senator and a California state senator? Who is their main point of contact? We tried to make our pamphlets as clear as possible, selecting key Bay Area representatives, as well as the governor and the two U.S. senators. But even with that effort, is it enough to bridge the gap?

As we plan to redo the event, I think we need to find even more ways to collaborate, branch out, and make these discussions feel more open and accessible. Maybe we should lean into broader conversations around health and well-being, using that as a way to drive engagement and dialogue forward.

“None of these actions are huge, and they don’t require a PhD, political power, or any special expertise. Anyone can take part, and I think that accessibility is what makes it so powerful.“

Celeste, in your role as president of the MPH Student Association, how do you engage with the larger community—including undergraduates, graduate students, and others involved in San Jose? How do you help provide those on-ramps for participation? You mentioned that student who didn’t even know where to start—how do you help ease the path into action for students like that?

Celeste:  That’s a great question—one that I’m still working through because it really requires defining the kind of impact I want to have.

In the past, a lot of the MPH Student Association’s leadership focused on building social connections and creating a presence within our program. The emphasis was on providing a safe space for students to connect outside of academics. At the time, many students wanted a place where they could simply be—somewhere that wasn’t purely academic but still fostered a sense of belonging.

Our program structure also plays a role in how connected students feel. Most students are on the three-year track, which means they only come to campus once a week. Since I’m in the two-year program, I’m on campus twice a week, but outside of class time, there aren’t many opportunities for collaboration—communication is mostly limited to homework assignments.

Lately, I’ve had a lot of conversations with Miranda about how to change that. One of my main goals is to build stronger bridges between undergraduate and graduate students. We’re all part of the public health department, yet there’s often a disconnect. Something I’ve been reflecting on—both personally and in my leadership role—is the power of collective action. There’s strength in a group that simply doesn’t exist in an individual effort. When we come together, advocate for change, and create opportunities for involvement, that’s when real progress happens.

I’ve been fortunate to work with Miranda and Dr. Buckner, who move incredibly fast and have helped make things happen. Some of the initiatives I’ve worked on include organizing a graduate panel for National Public Health Week and launching Lemonade Stands for Public Health. Right now, I’m collaborating with Kevin, our academic advisor and the head of the campus queer public health organization, to put together a response to recent actions that have affected trans students—something that hasn’t been properly addressed yet.

These are just some of the things I’ve been working on, but overall, I’m trying to lean into what feels right—what resonates with me and where I feel I can make the most impact

Miranda: I’d love to build on that from the undergraduate perspective.San Jose State has a large population of commuter and non-traditional students—many are working full-time while attending college, some are transfer students, and others are taking a longer path to completing their degree. At the same time, we also have students who live on campus and are deeply involved in student organizations, Associated Students, and various clubs.

I think we sometimes overlook opportunities for collaboration because we don’t want to place an extra burden on students. But in reality, being involved in student clubs and peer groups can be really valuable. One of the most powerful moments for me was watching Celeste try to explain to a student—who had no background in public health data preservation—why it was important to her. Seeing other students go through that same process was just as impactful.

It’s crucial to communicate beyond our own circles—to reach people who aren’t already engaged or galvanized, so to speak. Given all the challenges we’re facing, stepping out of our comfort zones to connect with others and explain why this work matters is more important than ever.

Miranda, can you expand on that? I know your research focuses on the intersection of public health and social justice, which really resonates with me. How do initiatives like Lemonade Stands for Public Health fit into that? And more broadly, how can MPH students and professionals better integrate advocacy into their work?

Miranda: One of the things I love about being a professor at San Jose State is that we truly believe you can be both a public health academic or practitioner and an advocate. In fact, I’d argue that it’s often our responsibility to be both.

When I was in my doctoral program, I had an advisor who told our seminar class, You can’t be a good scientist and an advocate. I completely and fundamentally disagreed with that. Advocacy is embedded in our program—even at the undergraduate level. We actually have a class dedicated to advocacy. My colleague, Anji Buckner, has been leading a policy initiative for students across the Cal State University system for the past 15 years. As part of this, students go to Sacramento for a day of lobbying, connect with the California Department of Public Health, and learn about advocacy in action. It’s an incredibly inspiring experience, and the next one is coming up in April.

Last year, one of my students participated in the event and came back so engaged that she asked if we could take 10 minutes of class time to tune into a live session in Sacramento where they were debating a policy she had advocated for. She wanted to hear how the state representative would present it, and she explained to the class why it mattered to her. That kind of experiential learning is crucial for developing public health advocates.

For our next Lemonade Stands for Public Health event, we’re incorporating it into a broader Day of Action that will include explicit advocacy training—helping students learn not just why advocacy matters, but how to do it effectively.

I was just telling Celeste that I recently went to D.C. for the Stand Up for Science march. Afterward, I walked over to Capitol Hill to visit my congressional representative. It was my first time doing something like that, and it was both awkward and surprisingly easy. I wish I had understood earlier how accessible it is, and now I can pass that knowledge along to others.

Public health is all about learning through doing—and advocacy should be, too. It’s something we can practice, refine, and make a part of our work in a very real way.

As we navigate this really challenging time—given the sociopolitical pressures facing public health and the way we approach equity and social determinants—how do you both see grassroots organizing contributing to the field? What are some ways grassroots efforts can evolve as we move forward?

Celeste: “Yeah, one of the fundamental concepts we’ve learned in our theory class is the opportunity window—the idea that certain moments create openings for meaningful change. For me, grassroots organizing plays a critical role in helping people take a more active stance.

There’s definitely a time and place for structure, but one thing I really admire about Miranda—and something we talked about last week—is her willingness to run toward the fire instead of shying away from it. She embraces challenges head-on, understanding that real change often happens in chaotic and uncertain moments. That kind of engagement feels authentic and powerful—it’s not just about demanding change, but also recognizing and advocating for what’s already working well. And right now, I think a major question is: What is actually working well?

Being part of a community—surrounded by people who share similar values and interests but come from different backgrounds—allows for a richer, more meaningful conversation. Everyone brings something important to the table, and coming together makes our collective voice stronger.

For me, grassroots organizing provides a beacon of hope. That might sound dramatic, but as I’m on the cusp of graduating, there’s a lot of uncertainty about what my future opportunities will look like. I’ve had conversations with faculty about this, and Dr. Buckner shared something in our listening session that really stuck with me: Our jobs aren’t disappearing, but they are changing.

Right now, we’re all navigating this uncertainty together, and that in itself creates an opportunity—to step up, to organize, and to support each other. The more unified we are, the better we can weather the storm.”

Miranda:I’d also say that grassroots organizing is a form of sustainable organizing—it’s about building a movement with deep roots. We need to be both creating new movements and contributing to the ones that already exist.

Right now, I’m literally looking out my window at a sign in my front yard for the Movement Voter Project. There’s been some really effective organizing happening. Obviously, the national election didn’t turn out the way I had hoped, but there were still significant successes at the local level.

I think that’s an important lesson—we need to keep focusing on local and specific wins while simultaneously building the momentum and pressure necessary to push for the changes we need at the national level.

Is there anything you’d want people to know if they’re looking to implement similar interventions themselves?

Miranda: One thing I’ll say is that when Celeste and I first started talking about this, we were completely winging it—just making it up as we went. My hope, when we sent it out to the listserv (and we were very explicit about this), was to help shake some people out of the paralysis they were feeling.

It’s not that lemonade stands are always the solution, but that taking some kind of activist action is important. I really hope to hear about what others are doing—especially creative ways to support students who may be feeling helpless. I’m looking forward to seeing other examples of how people move from a place of disempowerment to a sense of engagement and power.

Celeste: Building off of that, I’d say a lot of the power comes from simply coming together and experiencing it firsthand. Some of the most memorable moments for me weren’t just about the event itself, but about seeing our faculty step up, watching students donate lemons, helping prep materials, and collaborating to shape what we wanted our audience and reach to be. That kind of collective energy—being aspirational while also creating a sense of fun and giving back to the community—made it a truly rewarding experience.

Miranda mentioned something that a friend shared after their trip to D.C.: Maybe I didn’t make the biggest impact, but it improved my sense of self and how I’m feeling. I think that’s such an important reminder, especially in public health—a field where the work is often selfless. We need to acknowledge that we’re stronger, more empowered, and more effective when we also take care of ourselves.

One of the most powerful takeaways for me was seeing how many people were willing to just jump in, even when we had no clear roadmap. It was a reminder that, no matter what, you’re never alone. There’s always work to be done—but there will also always be people ready to show up and do it with you.

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