Ryan Dawes, Author at KFAI | Minneapolis & Saint Paul

Anika Robbins speaks into a microphone from a park bench on a sunny afternoon.

KFAI’s Wellness Signal | The Anika Foundation Offers ‘Transformative Change’

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Anika Robbins is the president and CEO of The Anika Foundation, serving hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans across the state.

The Anika Foundation’s initiatives are rooted in their core “impact levers” of civic engagement, health equity and economic empowerment.

“We want to normalize health and wellness, particularly in the Black community, in the Native American community,” says Robbins. “It’s not something that only the wealthy should be able to access.”

To connect with accessible healthcare resources curated by The Anika Foundation, visit thequalitylifemn.com. You can find The Anika Foundation’s non-partisan voter guide later in October at blackvotesmattermn.com.

KFAI’s Ryan Dawes spoke with Robbins on a sunny day in Fairview Park for this Wellness Signal audio portrait.

Listen here.

KFAI – Fresh Air Community Radio · KFAI’s Wellness Signal | The Anika Foundation Offers ‘Transformative Change’

Illustrated image of a graduation cap flung into the air against a sunset background

KFAI’s Wellness Signal | LeadMN: “The Next Leaders in Line”

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LeadMN is a student leadership and advocacy organization that primarily works on behalf of two-year college students.

“We serve international students, students of color, students with disabilities and parenting students,” says Hawa Fofana, Manager of Equity and Inclusion at LeadMN.

“And so the more traditional 19 or 20 year-old student coming right out of high school isn’t more important than that 35 year-old mom that’s going back to school,” says Fofana.

“We need to meet all those competing needs.”

LeadMN offers leadership workshops and connects students with legislators for their annual Advocacy Day where students learn about how to affect policy change. They also offer scholarships and emergency grants to support students on their educational journey. LeadMN’s Center for Learning trains student leaders on cultural intelligence, conflict resolution, and professional advancement.

LeadMN’s student wellness event is March 22nd. They’ll have workshop sessions, job readiness resources, networking opportunities, a vaccine clinic and LUNCH! The registration deadline is March 18. You can register at LeadMN.org.

KFAI’s Ryan Dawes produced that audio portrait with support from the Minnesota Department of Health.

KFAI – Fresh Air Community Radio · KFAI’s Wellness Signal | LeadMN: The Next Leaders in Line

Members of Minnesota's South Asian community enjoy food served along a long table.

KFAI’s Wellness Signal | SEWA-AIFW Lives Up to Their Name

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“Sewa” means to “to serve” in Sanskrit. SEWA-AIFW serves South Asian communities in Minnesota, offering youth programming, health clinics, book clubs, financial literacy programs, respite care, culturally specific meals for seniors and more. Connect with SEWA-AIFW at their website, www.sewa-aifw.org.

KFAI’s Ryan Dawes spoke with SEWA CEO Anjuli Mishra Cameron for this audio portrait.

KFAI – Fresh Air Community Radio · KFAI’s Wellness Signal | “SEWA” Means “To Serve,” SEWA-AIFW Lives Up To Their Name

KFAI’s Wellness Signal | Connector and Conductor, YAP Serves Young People Living with HIV

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Valerie Rubin-RaShaad Crutcher is the Executive Director for the Youth and AIDS Projects, located in Minneapolis. Partnering with the University of Minnesota, YAP serves young people either at-risk for or living with HIV, helping with housing support, medical case management, substance abuse recovery and more.

KFAI’s Ryan Dawes spoke with Rubin-RaShaad Crutcher and filed this audio portrait.

You can learn more about YAP’s services at YAPmn.org.

Illustration of stethoscope emerging from a laptop with a prescription bottle waiting outside the window.

KFAI’s Wellness Signal | Test-To-Treat Telehealth Offers Easy Access throughout Minnesota to COVID Treatment

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COVID-19 antiviral treatments are effective at reducing chances of severe illness. But if you have symptoms, it’s important to act fast and consult with a healthcare provider within five days of the start of those symptoms. The COVID-19 Test-to-Treat Telehealth program can help you do just that, at little to no cost.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 and have tested positive or been exposed to a known case of COVID-19, you are eligible for the state’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program. KFAI’s Ryan Dawes spoke with Walter James from the Minnesota Department of Health about the new program.

If eligible, you can consult with a clinician for free and get a prescription for a COVID-19 antiviral treatment at care.cuehealth.com or by using the Cue Health App for smartphones. You can also talk to a clinician over the phone at 1-844-609-2415.

Listen here:

KFAI – Fresh Air Community Radio · Test-To-Treat Telehealth Offers Easy Access throughout Minnesota to COVID Treatment

Wellness Signal | CDC Releases 2024 Immunization Schedule

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the 2024 U.S. Childhood, Adolescent, and Adult Immunization Schedules. Updates can be found at CDC: Vaccines and Immunizations. As a reminder, the schedules summarize final recommendations that were previously adopted and made official by the CDC director. Therefore, these schedules are effective immediately.

A sandwich board sign advertising COVID-19 vaccine clinic stands before a floral mural at the Mexican consulate in St. Paul.

KFAI’s Wellness Signal | Bridge Access Program Offers COVID-19 Shots for Those Uninsured

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Up until now, insurance status hasn’t affected how or if someone got a COVID shot. Doses were purchased in bulk by the federal government and made available to everyone, for free. But since the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency ended and the latest booster released, vaccines have been commercialized, costing up to 130 bucks a pop.

“COVID vaccines are very expensive. So for people who have no health insurance to have to pay for the vaccine, many of them wouldn’t do it,” says Cristina Flood Urdangarin, the Community Outreach Manager for St. Mary’s Health Clinics.

KFAI’s Ryan Dawes reports on a new program aim at connecting uninsured adults with a free COVID-19 vaccine.

KFAI – Fresh Air Community Radio · Bridge Access Program Offers COVID-19 Shots for Those Uninsured

If you are uninsured, you can find a dose at vaccines.gov (select “Bridge Access Program Participant) or visit kfai.org/clinic.

KFAI’s Wellness Signal | COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic and Testing Calendar

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The Minnesota Department of Health has convened a consortium of local organizations committed to COVID-19 vaccination and pandemic recovery called COVID-19 Community Coordinators (CCC). Together, they offer COVID-19 testing and vaccination clinics throughout the Twin Cities. Check the calendar below to find a clinic in your community. This calendar will show all CCC testing and vaccination events that are coming up within the next 60 days.

Double click on one of the events to see details about it.