Indigenous Peoples Task Force

TO PROVIDE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN AND ENHANCE THE HEALTH AND EDUCATION OF NATIVE PEOPLE.

HIV COUNSELING AND TESTING - THIS PROGRAM OFFERS FREE HIV RAPID TESTING AT OUR MAIN OFFICE AND THE HOUSING COMMUNITY CENTER. PRE AND POST TEST COUNSELING AND REFERRALS ARE PROVIDED WITH INCENTIVES. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES 1,200 INTEGRATED HIV TESTING, COUNSELING, AND REFERRALS PER YEAR.

YOUTH AND EDUCATION INCLUDES THE IKIDOWIN ACTING ENSEMBLE AND THE KEEP THE FIRE ALIVE PROGRAM WORKING WITH NATIVE TEENS 12-18 YEARS OLD. THE IKIDOWIN ACTING ENSEMBLE TRAINS YOUTH IN THEATER. THE ENSEMBLE TRAVELS THROUGHOUT THE US AND MN, PERFORMING FULL LENGTH PLAYS THAT PROVIDE IMPORTANT CULTURAL TEACHINGS, HEALTH EDUCATION, SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND POSITIVE NATIVE IDENTITY TO MANY AUDIENCES IN MINNESOTA AND THE US. THE PROGRAM IMPROVES SELF-ESTEEM, CONFIDENCE AND BUILDS COMMUNITY CONNECTION. THE KEEP THE FIRE ALIVE PROGRAM TEACHES NATIVE YOUTH ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH TOPICS, PRESENTS DIFFERENT HEALTHY COPING SKILLS, INTRODUCES THEM TO THE ARTS, PLANS COMMUNITY WIDE EVENTS, PRESENTS SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAININGS, AND PROMOTES SUICIDE PREVENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES. APPROXIMATELY 57 YOUTH PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM FROM 07/01/2021 TO 06/30/21.

INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION - INCLUDES THE WAYBINAGAY PROGRAM: PREVENTION SERVICES WERE PROVIDED: AN EIGHT-SESSION CULTURALLY-BASED CURRICULUM TO ENCOURAGE AMERICAN INDIAN YOUTH TO REFUSE THE USE OF COMMERCIAL TOBACCO, ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA OR OTHER DRUGS. DURING THE LAST TWELVE MONTHS, THE PROGRAM PROVIDED THESE SESSIONS THROUGH ZOOM FORMAT, DUE TO COVID-19, AS WELL AS IN-PERSON MEETINGS WHEN IT WAS SAFE TO GATHER. THE PROGRAM ALSO INCLUDES A COMPONENT OF 2 YOUTH THEATER PERFORMANCES ON PREVENTION OF TOBACCO USE AND INCLUDES 4 CULTURAL ACTIVITIES. DURING THIS YEAR, A TOTAL OF 40 YOUTH WERE RECRUITED TO PARTICIPANT IN THE WAYBINAGAY CURRICULUM, 37 PARTICIPATED IN ONE OR MORE SESSIONS, AND 32 COMPLETING THE PROGRAM END-OF-YEAR: 3 CYCLES WERE COMPLETED. END-OF-YEAR: ATTENDANCE AT ALL ACTIVITIES/EVENTS/SESSIONS WAS 1,962. 32 YOUTH COMPLETED THE WAYBINAGAY CURRICULUM, 14 YOUTH WERE INVOLVED IN SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS PLAY PERFORMANCES. THE "INDIGI-BABY FOOD SOVEREIGNTY PROJECT" AIMS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HEALTH TARGETED BABY FOOD MADE WITH NATIVE AMERICAN CULTIVATED AND WILD HARVESTED FOODS AS A WAY TO REDUCE HIGH RATES OF OBESITY AMONG NATIVE CHILDREN AND OBESITY-LINKED DISEASES THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT NATIVE AMERICANS LIVING IN THE TWIN CITIES OF MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL. THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE BENEFITS OF NATIVE FOODS TO MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH; EXPAND AND IMPROVE THE INDIGI-BABY PRODUCT LINE-UP AND ORGANIC, SUSTAINABLE FARM PRODUCTION; AND BEGIN MARKETING INDIGI-BABY FOODS IN LOCAL STORES. THE INITIATIVE BUILDS ON THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES OF THE CURRENT INDIGI-BABY MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH INITIATIVE THROUGH WHICH SUCCESSFUL, ORGANIC, SUSTAINABLE FARMING TECHNIQUES HAVE BEEN TESTED AND IDENTIFIED AND FOUR HEALTH TARGETED, VALUE ADDED BABY FOOD PRODUCTS ARE BEING DESIGNED. (TWO BABY FOOD PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN DESIGNED SO FAR: WILD RICE AND BLUEBERRY AND GETE OKOSOMIN SQUASH). PROPOSED PROJECT STRATEGIES INCLUDE: KNOWLEDGE SHARING TO HELP REVITALIZE AND PASS ON HEALTH BENEFITS OF NATIVE FOODS THROUGH AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE THAT IS GUIDED BY AN INTERGENERATIONAL COUNCIL OF GRANDMOTHERS AND YOUTH, AGES 14-17; SCALING UP FARM PRODUCTION BY EXPANDING EXISTING INDIGI-BABY FARM AND SOURCING FOODS FROM NATIVE GROWERS AND HARVESTERS; DIVERSIFYING PRODUCT LINE-UP FROM 4 TO 6 PRODUCTS; PROCESSING AND PACKAGING 6 PRODUCTS FOR SALES AT LOCAL MARKETS; PROMOTING INDIGI-BABY FOODS AT COMMUNITY HEALTH AND FOOD EVENTS; AND SELLING BABY FOOD PRODUCTS FIRST AT LOCAL FARMERS' MARKETS AND THEN AT LOCAL CORNER AND GROCERY STORES. TARGETED OUTCOMES INCLUDE: 1) KNOWLEDGE OF HEALTH BENEFITS OF NATIVE FOODS IS BEING REVITALIZED AND PASSED ON FROM MOTHERS TO CHILDREN, 2) AVAILABILITY OF HEALTH TARGETED BABY FOODS READY FOR DISTRIBUTION IN TWIN CITIES, AND 3) NATIVE AMERICAN MOTHERS HAVE INCREASED ACCESS TO HEALTH TARGETED BABY FOODS. THE SYRINGE EXCHANGE PROGRAM OFFERS INDIVIDUALS USING INJECTION DRUGS A SAFE AND CONFIDENTIAL PLACE TO DISPOSE USED SYRINGES, GET CLEAN SYRINGES AND GAIN ACCESS TO SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT OPTIONS. WE DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 200,000 NEW SYRINGES AND COLLECTED 150,000 USED SYRINGES FOR PROPER BIOHAZARD DISPOSAL TO LIMIT THE IMPACT OF OPIOID FROM 07/01/2021 TO 06/30/2022,