Minnesota Native News: Community Health Conversations

Join us for an insightful conversation with Dr. Melissa Walls, the Director of the Great Lakes hub for the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health. Dr. Walls shares her experiences leading the center through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the innovative approaches and resilient spirit that guided her team. We delve into the long-term changes she envisions for addressing health needs within Indigenous communities, emphasizing the importance of culturally informed care. Dr. Walls also discusses her involvement in a groundbreaking study, Benevolent Childhood Experiences (also known as BCE’s), offering valuable insights into how these positive experiences impact the health and well-being of Indigenous Communities and beyond.  Melissa Walls (memengwaa) is Eagle Clan and a first generation descendant of the Couchiching First Nation and Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe (maternal) and of Swedish/German descent (paternal). She grew up in northern Minnesota along the Canadian border and now lives in Duluth, MN where she serves as Director of the Center for Indigenous Health’s Great Lakes Hub and an Associate Professor of American Health in the Department of International Health at Johns Hopkins University.   Melissa is trained as a social scientist (PhD sociology, 2007) and is committed to collaborative, community-driven research. She has been working on health equity research projects with Tribal Nations in the Great Lakes region of the US and Canada since 2002. The Great Lakes Hub project focus on topics including mental health epidemiology, culturally-relevant, family-based substance use prevention and mental health promotion programming and evaluation, and promoting better health for families living with type 2 diabetes.

In today’s episode, we sit down with Chef Sean Sherman a visionary in the realm of Indigenous cuisine. Sean shares the challenges he has faced in reclaiming and preserving traditional and Indigenous ingredients, recipes, and culinary techniques. Diving into the rich history of Native diets, he compares them to modern western diets, shedding light on the profound impacts of these differences. Throughout the conversation, Sean reveals the passion that drives his work and its crucial role and cultural preservation and decolonization. Listen as he discusses the importance of Indigenous food sovereignty and how Indigenous food ways serve as a powerful tool for reclaiming cultural identity not only in Minnesota but all around the world.  Chef Sean Sherman has dedicated his career to supporting and promoting Indigenous food systems and Native food sovereignty.   Sean’s cooking style is based on pre-colonial Indigenous food systems, using only ingredients that are native to North America. His menus are inspired by the seasons and the land, featuring traditional ingredients like bison, hand-harvested wild rice, cedar, and sumac. He draws on the knowledge and culinary techniques of his ancestors to develop innovative, nutritious, and flavorful dishes that incorporate wild game, fish, foraged plants, and heirloom grains.   Through his activism and advocacy, Sean is helping to reclaim and celebrate the rich culinary heritage of Indigenous communities around the world. Owamni Restaurant https://owamni.com/ 

In this episode of Community Health Conversations, we delve into a captivating conversation with three distinguished individuals from the Red Lake Nation College. Our guests share insights into how the college is creating supportive and culturally relevant learning environments for students, intertwining cultural relevancy into programs and courses.   We explore the unique challenges and opportunities that the Red Lake Nation College faces in the post-COVID landscape, shedding light on student-focused initiatives and the power of partnerships and collaborations. Our guests eloquently discuss the pivotal role education plays in improving and transforming health outcomes for American Indian Communities.    Nadine Bill, B.S. Director of Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness ​ Nadine Bill is a higher education professional with over twenty years’ experience in leadership positions. ​ Nadine has extensive experience in admissions and student services at the University of Washington.  She has served as a development and community outreach director at Green River Community College. In 2005 Nadine was honored with a prestigious fellowship in Higher Education at Harvard University.  During her time at Harvard, Nadine focused on student services research and worked on an inter-faculty initiative at the Kennedy School of Government. ​ Nadine is a published author who led the primary research in 2009 funded by the Gates Foundation on “Native Pathways: A Study of Colleges and Universities Best Practices for Native American Students in Washington State”.  For the last 10 years she has served in the Tribal College system as a Dean of Students and Institutional Research. ​ Nadine Bill, is a member of the Upper Skagit Tribe of Washington State and descendent of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.  She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Central Washington University, graduate work in higher education, and graduate fellowship from Harvard University. Rachel King-Siert, M. Ed. Director of Student Services   Rachel King-Siert is an enrolled member of the Red Lake Nation. As a first-generation student, she attended the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Speech, Hearing, and Language Sciences. She continued on to earn a Master’s in Education with a focus on learning through community and experiential learning, also from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.     Over the past 18 years, Rachel has dedicated her work to helping students and families navigate through educational systems. She has had the opportunity to work in most areas for student support, from admission and financial aid, to academic advising. She has also worked with a diverse array of college students at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis Community and Technical College, Concordia College, and Dartmouth College. ​ Her role at RLNC will include working in outreach to the Native community in Minneapolis and online, and assisting students with registration, enrollment, and financial aid. She will also focus on student success and retention. Kayla Duane Communications Director  Kayla Duane is an enrolled member of the Leech Lake Band of the Ojibwe, raised in Minneapolis. As a first generation student, she attended the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing Education. During Kayla’s time at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, she served as the President of the American Indian Student Cultural Center, and the External Relations Officer for the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. Kayla’s experience as a President of the American Indian Student Cultural Center and an External Relations Officer for the American Indian Science & Engineering Society has given her a deep understanding of business operations, marketing trends, and data analysis while also advocating for Indigenous perspectives in the Marketing and STEM field. Most recently, Kayla Duane worked at SPS Commerce as an Associate Consultant for a little over a year. In previous roles, she has worked as IT Support, a Sales Analyst, and Marketing intern at various companies across the Twin Cities.  At RLNC, Kayla will be working as the Communications Director where she is focusing on marketing and fundraising for the future of the Minneapolis Site in order to help RLNC grow and expand their resources to help all our students thrive. https://www.rlnc.edu/ 

In this episode, we speak with Mary and Colette, two dynamic voices from the Minneapolis American Indian Center. As leaders in the community, they shed light on their roles in spearheading the center’s initiatives, particularly as they gear up for the grand re-opening celebrations starting May 1st.    Mary and Colette delve into the pressing health disparities faced by Indigenous communities and how the center’s Fitness and Nutrition program has evolved to face these challenges head-on. They emphasize the crucial role of culture in designing and implementing fitness and nutrition programs, highlighting the importance of art, youth, elders, and intergenerational programming in promoting healthy lifestyles.    Looking ahead, they share their long-term goals of fostering holistic wellness and building strong partnerships and collaborations to amplify their impact on the local Indian Country’s health and wellness landscape. Mary LaGarde   Mary LaGarde, Executive Director of the Minneapolis American Indian Center, was selected to lead the organization in June 2013.  Ms. LaGarde has over 30 years of nonprofit experience in program services, including management and development. In 1994, Ms. LaGarde established a therapeutic preschool for American Indian children at the Little Earth of United Tribes Housing Development in Minneapolis, in 1999 managed the opening of the Little Earth Neighborhood Early Learning Center, and since then has developed numerous programs for the American Indian community in Minneapolis.  In 2008 Ms. LaGarde received the DreamMaker Award from the Ann Bancroft Foundation, in 2014 was honored at the University of Minnesota’s American Indian Student Cultural Center’s Honoring American Indian Women Luncheon, and named a 2016 Local Public Health Hero by the City of Minneapolis’ Health Department.  She received her B.A. in Sociology/American Racial and Multicultural Studies from St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN), and is a member of the White Earth Nation.   Colette Lawrence   Colette Lawrence is a seasoned public health advocate with a rich background in serving Indigenous communities. With over 7 and a half years of experience at the Minneapolis American Indian Center (MAIC), she has demonstrated her commitment to community health through various roles, including directing the FAN Program. Colette’s passion for empowering Native American elders led her to partner with institutions like the University of Minnesota Extension and Blue Cross Blue Shield Prevention Center to implement evidence- based cooking demonstrations and nutrition education programs. She is also recognized for her pivotal role in organizing critical COVID vaccine clinics, further solidifying her dedication to improve the health and well-being of the American Indian’s in Minnesota. Welcome back to Community Health Conversations, a special program from Minnesota Native News! Hosts Leah Lemm (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) and Dr. Antony Stately Ph.D. (Ojibwe/Oneida) lead insightful discussions about the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare in Indian Country. They discuss the valuable lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic and explore how Native communities are responding and adapting beyond COVID-19. https://www.maicnet.org/