Sixth National Conference on Quality Health Care for Culturally Diverse Populations: Main Conference Concurrent Workshops Partnership for Health Justice in Minnesota's Asian and Pacific Islander Community
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C-2 Partnerships for health: Addressing culture and access in rural and urban settings

Partnership for Health Justice in Minnesota's Asian and Pacific Islander Community
Tuesday, September 23, 2008: 2:00 PM-4:00 PM, Minn Marriott, 4th Floor - Deer Lake
Participants will learn how Minnesota Asian/American Health Coalition (MA/AHC), a small group of volunteers, with limited resources and capacity, partnered with key community and national partners to gain recognition and unprecedented resources to address API health needs within a traditionally homogenous state.

Passionate leadership from within the community, trusted relationships with community partners, and support from national ethnic partners were key ingredients for the success of the nationally-recognized Minnesota Asian Health Data Summit Series and API Community Health Center Planning Collaborative. 

MA/AHC encountered several challenges with this work including: a wide range of diverse cultures and languages within the community; limited resources available to engage community partners; and dependence upon sustained volunteer effort and leadership.  Consistent efforts to invite all ethnic groups within the community to the planning table, no matter how small in number, helped to demonstrate MA/AHC's intent to be as inclusive as possible.  This important action helped to facilitate unity building over the course of several years-from raising awareness of the data needs, to conducting community-based research inclusive of 7 ethnic groups in the Twin Cities metro area, to the successful 2007 grant proposal of a $600,000 capacity building grant.  Speaking the truth, being transparent, and consistently following words with actions, have proven to be essential in earning and keeping the trust of all communities.

Presentation Information:

Program: Main Conference Concurrent Workshops
Primary Category: Research
Subtopics: 7 ethnic groups, Data collection (on individuals and communities), Health literacy, building a foundation, community research

Region Addressed by Presentation: US - Midwest
Organization: Community-Based Organization
Population/Demographic: Ethnic
Keywords: Trusted partnership, Inclusivity despite limited resources & capacity, Community research, Unity building
Gilbert Achay , Minneapolis, MN
    Interim Board Chair
    Minnesota Asian/American Health Coalition
    242 W Franklin Ave
    #201
    Minneapolis MN, USA 55404

    Phone: (612) 598-4432
    Email Address: gilbertachay@gmail.com

    Biographical Sketch:     Gilbert Achay is originally from O'ahu, Hawai'i, where he briefly studied at the University of Hawai'i. He continued his undergraduate education at the University of Minnesota, where he studied child development. Gilbert has been in the nonprofit sector for five years, during which time he has been involved in youth work, HIV prevention, LGBT organizing and health disparities issues. His current work involves technical assistance and capacity building with the Asian Pacific Partners for Empowerment, Advocacy and Leadership (APPEAL), and serves on the boards of the Rainbow Health Initiative and Minnesota Asian/American Health Coalition.
Sunny Chanthanouvang , Lao Assistance Center of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
    Executive Director
    Lao Assistance Center of Minnesota
    Minneapolis MN, USA 55405

    Phone: 612-374-4967
    Email Address: sunny@laocenter.org

    Biographical Sketch:     Sunny Chanthanouvong has been the executive Director of Lao Assistance Center of Minnesota since 2001 and has been with the organization since 1992 as a Youth Specialist. He is a member of the Minnesota Compulsive Gambling Advisory Committee, was selected for service on the Minneapolis Human Right Commission, board of Director for NorthPoint Health Wellness Center Inc. Minnesota State Court Roster Interpreter, and B.A. Mankato State University.
Emily L. Wang, MPH , Policy and Community Programs, City of Minneapolis Department of Health and Family Support, Minneapolis, MN
    Health Policy and Program Coordinator
    City of Minneapolis Department of Health and Family Support
    Policy and Community Programs
    250 S. 4th St.-Rm 510
    Minneapolis MN, USA 55415

    Phone: 612-673-2144
    Fax: 612-673-3866
    Email Address: emily.wang@ci.minneapolis.mn.us

    Biographical Sketch:     Emily Wang works within Policy and Community Programs at the City of Minneapolis-Department of Health and Family Support. Among her duties, she staffs resident-based committees and works to engage diverse communities in the policy and programmatic work of the Department. As the first and former Asian American Health Coordinator at the Minnesota Department of Health-Office of Minority and Multicultural Health, she understands the importance culture can play in how communities define and practice health. Emily has also worked as one of the original Health Care Access staff with the Minnesota Department of Human Services, as well as served as the Assistant Director of Covering Kids-Minnesota, a national health care access initiative. She received her Masters in Public Health in Community Health Education from the University of Minnesota and has worked with welfare-related projects at both the state and neighborhood levels.
Marie Tran , Vietnamese Social Services of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
    Breast & Cervical Cancer Project Coordinator
    Vietnamese Social Services of Minnesota
    St. Paul MN, USA
    Email Address: mariehtran@vss.org

    Biographical Sketch:     Ms. Marie Tran is the Breast and Cervical Cancer Project Coordinator at Vietnamese Social Services of Minnesota, which is located in St. Paul.
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