It took me 32 years of life before earning the qualifications fit to serve Kern County. Since 1992, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside leaders in cardiovascular care at Central Cardiology.

We strived, and to a large extent succeeded, in elevating heart care to a world class level right here in Bakersfield. In 1999, we collaborated with the best physicians in the community to build Bakersfield Heart Hospital, a temple dedicated to heart care. Our mission to be the best cardiovascular team in the world continues, with recruitment of the finest physicians and leading technologies available, as well as an enduring commitment to compassion.

I believe that health, along with faith and education, are the pillars that support integrity of life.

Bakersfield has been fortunate to have Dr Sonya Christian, a mathematician, philosopher and scholar, as the president of BC since 2013. Dr. Christian is an unassuming intellectual giant who cloaks herself in humility, innate curiosity and a gentle demeanor. A couple years back, my work serendipitously afforded the luxury of a chance encounter with Dr. Christian, and our shared conviction toward the betterment of humanity seemed to find a natural station at the intersection of healthcare and education.

Health and education need robust infrastructure and intense personal drive, so I was flattered when Dr. Christian asked me to participate in this endeavor. Together, we intend to share our experiences and thoughts, and we look forward to expanding our learning through this platform.

We count on your active engagement. Words should heal, and actions should pave a better life. Let’s make the world a better place.

— Dr Brij Bhambi

Welcome to BhambiAndChristian.com, a blog about the mind, body and spirit of the Central Valley.

My name is Sonya Christian, and I’m proud to serve as the 10th President of Bakersfield College since 2013. I often say that I’m the luckiest and happiest college president in the world, and I truly believe that. I see education as the gateway to the American Dream, and I’m so proud of my colleagues at BC for making that dream accessible to every single person in Kern County. Our nationally recognized student success initiatives are already creating positive outcomes, and I’m confident that we will only continue to transform lives in the San Joaquin Valley as our initiatives grow and expand.

I met Dr. Brij Bhambi two years ago, and have been inspired by the intensity, precision, and gentle care with which he approaches problems – in his role as a healing physician committed to the health of individuals, or in his community work he applies that same brilliant mind to to building a healthy community.

Brij and I started talking about collaborating together in the early days of the triple crisis we currently face of a pandemic, the economic crisis and the re-emergence of racial unrest.  I’m excited to have these public conversations with Dr. Bhambi in this digital space to promote healing through education.

I’ll be sharing the careful work of our BC students, faculty, and staff, helping to grow the Central Valley. Dr. Bhambi will use his beautiful prose and rhetoric on a range of topics with the goal of healing divides and building unity.

We hope that you will join this dialogue as we collectively strengthen our friendships and deepen our understanding of each other, during good times, but particularly during polarizing times.  

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With Renegade Pride,

sonya