Vitalyst Spark

E41: Census 2020 Action Update - 8/11

Today, we're switching things up. We’re focused on an action that sounds like not such a big deal in the face of a global pandemic and the long overdue attention to race and gender inequity. But here’s the thing: the 2020 U.S. Census matters precisely because of COVID-19 and the inequities that too many people in Arizona unjustly face. Yes, the Census.

Know this: we only have until September 30, 2020 to get everyone who lives in Arizona counted, and right now – as of August 10 – Arizona residents are being undercounted more than we were in 2010. That has to change. Another one or two Congressional seats hang in the balance for our state, as does much needed Federal funding to address so many issues related to health and well-being.  That’s why we asked David Martinez from Vitalyst to join us today. 

We’re not going to talk at you for long. We’re going to talk with you, and then ask you to take action. Time is running out to get this right, which is why we need everyone to step up and act.   

So let’s get to it. It’s time to talk about why Census 2020 is so important to Arizona, why we’re still not getting counted, and why we’ve have to act now in order to get what Arizona needs for health and well-being statewide. 

E40: COVID-19 Roundtable Update - 8/4

Welcome to August 2020 and the return of our COVID-19 Roundtable. Perhaps what’s changed more than anything in the last two weeks would be – in a word – confidence. There is increased confidence that Arizona has plateaued in terms of spread and healthcare resource utilization – although at a “high watermark.” There is increased confidence that we will see a vaccine sooner rather than later too, but many questions remain and we’ll talk about some of those today.

 

Here is your weekly reminder: don’t stop being smart when it comes to COVID-19. Stay-at-home as much as you possibly can; wash up; mask up; maintain social distancing, and keep a heads up for your fellow Arizonans. The reason Arizonans can feel some confidence right now is because we’ve been doing more of what it takes to slow the spread. We need to be in this together in order to get out of this together.

 

Alright, it’s time to talk about the numbers, Arizona’s testing capacity and turnaround times, K-12 schools reopening, Universities reopening, the latest on vaccines and a new segment we call “heard it through the grapevine.” In other words, it’s time to talk about what life with COVID-19 looks like as of August 3, 2020.

E39: LGBTQ Communities and COVID-19

Today’s episode is a deep dive and worth your time given the important insights you’ll gain from three awesome advocates for Arizona’s LGBTQ communities. Fair warning, this episode clocks in as one of our longest so far. That’s because so many of us have a long way to go in terms of learning how to interpersonally and systemically support LGBTQ well-being. Arizona cannot lay claim to being a vibrant state without embracing, and learning from, its most vulnerable communities - communities that hold the keys for forward leaps in health and well-being for all Arizonans.

 

Treat this long listen as a sort of two-part episode packaged together. In Part 1, we build understanding of what young LGBTQ communities face on a daily basis, with the added effects of COVID. In Part 2, we’ll go more in-depth regarding root causes and needed systems change. Plus we’ve got a terrific lightning round and a new segment called “once you see it, you can’t unsee it.” So let’s get to it. It’s time to talk about safety, inclusion, supportive environments, oppression, dominant culture, capacity and training, policies, systems and much more. More concisely it’s time to talk about LGBTQ communities, Arizona, and COVID-19.

 

Show links:

Kore Press Institute: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Equality Arizona: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

GLSEN Phoenix: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

E38: COVID-19 Roundtable Update - 7/21

Buckle up, pour yourself a beverage, turn up your speakers and/or get those headphones secured and get ready – because this COVID roundtable really packs an informative punch. Round for round, pound for pound, this is the episode for analysis, perspective and even for hope.

 

For one thing, Arizona appears to be doing a lot less worse according to the numbers. That doesn’t mean we don’t have a long way to go, but the trend is no longer going the wrong way. And that’s because, among other things, people are doing more of the right things. So don’t stop now. Stay-at-home as much as you possibly can; wash up; mask up; maintain social distancing, and keep a heads up for your fellow Arizonans. We need to be in this together in order to get out of this together.

 

There’s much more to get into. So, here we go. It’s time to talk numbers, systems, policies, gating criteria, school reopenings, collective community goals, economic and social supports, and health insurance. And we’ve got a robust and detailed vaccine discussion for you today. In other words, in this, our fourth month of the roundtable, we’ve got a lot to share.

E37: Heat, Health and COVID-19 Part 2

Right on the heels of record-breaking high temperatures in the Valley, we return with Part 2 of our two-part discussion on heat in Arizona. Two weeks ago in Part 1, we sat in with high-level experts and researchers to understand the macro-level changes and impacts we are all experiencing. We also touched on some promising, on-the-ground work. This week, in Part 2, we’re going directly to the micro, ground-level, touching base with leaders of two nonprofits, and getting the perspective of how a city better connects to those most impacted by heat.

As each of our guests shares their work, you’ll feel the continued transforming presence of COVID-19. From emergency relief efforts to chronic heat issues, nothing escapes being impacted by coronavirus. As Arizona continues to be a hot spot for infection, don’t forget to stay smart: stay-at-home as much as you possibly can; wash up; mask up; maintain social distancing, and keep a heads up for your fellow Arizonans. We need to be in this together in order to get out of this together.

We’re going to serve up a lot of context and content in the next 30 minutes, so buckle up. It’s time to talk about heat, relief, shelter, air conditioning, trees and shade, buildings, pavement, planning, and policy as we emerge from our first heat emergency of 2020.

E36: COVID-19 Roundtable Update - 7/7

We’re back today with another COVID-19 roundtable, in the shadow of some significant statistics: as of July 6, there are 101,441 confirmed cases in Arizona. It took more than four months to hit 25,000 cases, 15 days to double that number to 50,000 cases, and another short 14 days to get over 101,000. In basic terms, COVID-19 is widespread. An at hospitals, inpatient beds are 84% occupied, while 89% of ICU beds are currently filled.

Combine those statistics with where we are in terms of diagnostic testing availability, results turnaround times, and contact tracing, and there can be only one takeaway: now is definitely NOT the time to ease up. Our behaviors remain the most important tools for helping to flatten a steep curve of infections. Stay at home as much as you possibly can; wash up; mask up; maintain social distancing, and keep a heads up for your fellow Arizonans. We need everyone to be in this together in order to get through this together.

Let's get to it. It’s time to talk about healthcare, public health, policy, and community as we move past perhaps the most unusual 4^th of July in some time and continue adapting to life with COVID-19.

E35: Heat, Health and COVID-19

First and foremost everyone here at Vitalyst is thinking about every one of you. Wash up, mask up, maintain social distancing please, and keep a heads up for your fellow Arizonans. As COVID-19 cases are increasing significantly in our state, so are our temperatures – and, sadly, our wildfires. COVID-19 didn’t respond to increasing heat, but our natural resources, our built environments, and our health and well-being most certainly do. Heat is a major challenge for Arizona. We should continuously be talking, innovating, and iterating on it. Today we’re launching Part one of our first two-part dialogue on heat. In two weeks, we’ll be talking about actions being taking by cities and organizations focused on our most vulnerable populations. But first, today we’re talking with three experts about how we should more deeply understand the issues. After all, big challenges are best understood when we take them apart, understand their components, engage authentically with community members, and uncover root causes that affect health and well-being. 

So, with that simple but challenging agenda in mind, let’s get to it. It’s time to talk about coalitions, systems, governments, planning, airports, air conditioning, bus stops, communities and health as things heat up for Arizona in the summer of 2020.

Links:

Urban Land Institute "Scorched" Report: Summary Release, Report PDF
Maricopa County Bridging Climate Change and Public Health: Web page, Strategic Plan, Things You Can Do
Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago by Eric Klinenberg

E34: COVID Roundtable Update - 6/23

Arizona’s new case rate trend is significantly upward, putting our state in the national spotlight. The Governor issued a new Executive Order allowing local government action regarding face masks. An inexpensive steroid has emerged as a possible COVID-19 treatment. Heck, yesterday it was announced that the Apple Watch will soon give you an automatic 20-second hand washing countdown when it senses the combination of your hand motions and the water’s flow. In other words, it has been just another fairly intense two weeks of COVID time that sometimes felt like two years, and we’re here to help you process and analyze it all. Once again, Dr. Nick Vasquez was unable to join us due to his Emergency Room duties. And Dr. Amish Shah was just barely able to squeeze in a conversation, calling into the podcast while on a short break during his own emergency room shift.

Get more detail on the numbers, new municipal ordinances, and much more. It’s time to talk about healthcare, public health, policy, and community as we move past the longest day of the year and continue adapting to life with COVID-19.

Links:

1. ADHS COVID-19 dashboard
2. ASU Biodesign Institute Critical COVID-19 Trends
3. The COVID Tracking Project
4. Hospitalizations - Maricopa County Department of Public Health
5. Paul Romer: Roadmap to Responsibly Reopen America
6. The Arizona Republic: Doctors Talk About the COVID-19 Beast (featuring Dr. Amish Shah)

E33: Arizona Food Systems and COVID-19

COVID-19’s effects on our communities are statewide, systemic, and extend far beyond healthcare or jobs. In fact, it is exposing and exacerbating the challenges our communities face when it comes to food. The running joke may have been about toilet paper early on the pandemic, but places like Ajo and the Navajo Nation literally faced empty store shelves and no food for days and weeks. It shouldn’t ever be this way, which is why the women you’re about to meet have been working for years to build stronger local food systems across Arizona – and why they’re working even harder at the moment. Our three guests today are passionate individuals who spend as much time on the land itself as they do pushing for policies, systems, and environmental changes that are crucial to ensuring equitable, local access to healthy, affordable foods. Last week, we promised you an important episode with plenty to chew on. Well, get ready, because we’ve got it right here.

Note: Two of our guests live in rural and tribal areas, connecting via Skype and cellphone with some sound quality issues. It's an example of how quality broadband internet availability is another form of inequity in Arizona that needs to be addressed. 

To learn more and support Arizona Food Systems: 

• Pinnacle Prevention and COVID-19 Food System Resources
• Ajo Center for Sustainable Agriculture
• Coffee Pot Farms
• Arizona Agricultural Training Network
• On Facebook: @pinnacleprevention, @AjoCSA, @CoffeePotFarms
• On Twitter: @PinnaclePrevent

E32: COVID Roundtable Update - 6/9

Our COVID19 Roundtable is back, with a little switch up: Dr. Nick Vasquez was unable to join us, but his colleague Dr. Amish Shah is here, and - as an added bonus - brings his perspective from serving as a state legislator.

This episode starts off as it should at this unique moment, at the intersection of public health and race – and the connection to COVID19. Then we get into the numbers – what the data have to say about coronavirus in Arizona. Spoiler alert: the numbers aren’t good right now.

Vitalyst would like to give you this tip: #MaskUpAZ. Cloth masks work. My mask protects you, your mask protects me. So please, don’t stop washing those hands, practicing social distancing whenever possible, and when it’s not possible: #MaskUpAZ.

It’s time to talk about healthcare, public health, policy, and community as we move into another new month of life with COVID-19