Vitalyst Spark

E101: Refugee Health in Arizona

Today we’re taking a long-overdue look at the health and well-being of refugee communities in our state. You may not know this, but Arizona is widely known as a welcoming state for refugees from around the world. These are individuals and families who have fled their home countries due to persecution or fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. In the last six months (October ’21 through March ’22), Arizona has helped over 2,600 people resettle, the majority of whom are fleeing Afghanistan. This brings us to today’s panel discussion with a local leader from Lutheran Social Services – a refugee resettlement agency in Arizona – and two local representatives of We Are All America (one of whom is a former refugee from Afghanistan, and the other a former refugee from Bosnia-Herzegovina). We hope you enjoy.

E100: Womens History Month in Arizona

On today’s episode (the 100th episode of the Vitalyst Spark Podcast!), we’re capping off Women’s History Month by bringing you a conversation with Dr. Amalia Luxardo, CEO of the Women’s Foundation for the State of Arizona. Dr. Luxardo graciously shares her personal journey to her leadership role at the Women’s Foundation and gives us a glimpse into how Arizona’s women and girls are forging new paths to social, political and economic change.

E99: COVID-19 Roundtable Update

Well, this it. Barring any unforeseen developments (knock on wood), this is the last COVID-19 Roundtable episode of the Vitalyst Spark Podcast. We’re not out of the woods, but case numbers and deaths are rapidly declining, hospital admissions have waned, and the latest CDC guidance shows Arizona moving toward a low level of community risk.  So, for what we hope will be our final COVID-19 Roundtable discussion, we brought our panelists back to reflect on the past two years – the successes, the challenges and the lessons learned

E98: Healthy Communities, One Bill at a Time

In this episode, we’re talking about Arizona’s legislative session with Zaida Dedolph, Health Policy Director with Children’s Action Alliance. Yes, we’re all exhausted from the constant barrage of partisanship and political anger we hear about on a daily basis, but rest assured, this is not one of those conversations.  Instead, this is a conversation that attempts to understand the fundamental power dynamics currently at play within Arizona’s Legislature, and offers an overview of a handful of promising bills you may not be aware of that are moving through the lawmaking process.  Zaida and I talked on February 25, 2022, at the end of what’s know as “cross over week” at the legislature. It’s often stated that change is the only constant, and that is certainly the case at the legislature, so things may have changed by the time you hear this.  We hope you enjoy.

 

Links for show notes:

• Learn more about Children’s Action Alliance: www.azchildren.org
• Learn more about the Arizona Public Health Association: www.azpha.org
• View Vitalyst’s list of legislative priorities: www.vitalysthealth.org/healthpolicy

E97: Black History, Black Arizona

In recognition of Black History month, we’re speaking with two leaders in Arizona who are working to advance the health and well-being of Black Arizonans. Teniqua Broughton is the Executive Director of the State of Black Arizona, an organization best known for its thorough publications that highlight…well…the state of Black Arizona. These ‘Volumes’, as they’re titled, provide an evidence-based foundation from which one can better understand the experience of African Americans in our state. We’re also thrilled to welcome Dr. Charlene Tarver, CEO of the Women’s Economic Institute, an organization working in Arizona and New York to advance economic security for all women and girls, with a specific focus on Black women. During the pandemic, Dr. Tarver also founded the Black Arizona COVID-19 Task Force, which, as you’ll hear, gained national attention for its work. Let’s dive in. 

• • Supporting Black-led Organizations – Here’s a list of resources for community members, partners, and fundholders who are interested in supporting Black-led organizations.

E96: COVID-19 Roundtable Update

This week we’re back with our COVID-19 Roundtables guests, Dr. Kara Geren, Dr. Joshua LaBaer and Will Humble, discussing the latest – dare I say – optimistic developments in the pandemic.  We’ve been on this ride before, and we know we’re not out of the woods. Far too many Arizonans are still being infected with COVID-19 each day and our hospitals are under extreme pressure, but the latest research and trends do indicate that brighter days are within sight.

E95: Creating Vibrant Communities with Arizona Town Hall

Today, we’re talking about the importance of coming together – across sectors, across populations, across issues – to find common ground.  Sounds like a pipe dream, right?  Well, lucky for us, one Arizona-based organization has 60 years of experience under its belt doing just that: hosting forums, facilitating dialogue and lifting consensus above conflict.  We’re talking about the Arizona Town Hall and its topic for 2022: creating vibrant communities.  We hope you enjoy.

E94: COVID-19 Roundtable Update

Two months ago, we hosted what we hoped would be our final COVID-19 Roundtable.  Infections were declining and we seemed to be entering into a new and safer normal.  Wishful thinking.  Today, we stand on the shoreline, the water level is rising, and we await the tidal wave named Omicron we know is about to hit.  So, it’s bittersweet that we find ourselves speaking yet again with our COVID-19 Roundtable guests to clarify what we know and don’t know about this variant and its potential impact.

E93: Reflections in Community Health

We’ve made it to December of 2021 – the end of another year.  It’s a time to give thanks, a time to celebrate, and a time to reflect.  In that spirit, we’re here to reflect on the extraordinary careers of two public health leaders in Arizona, Debbie McCune Davis and Allen Gjersvig, both of whom will soon be transitioning to their next chapter: retirement. But before they ride into the sunset, or fly to Europe, or drive to the mountains, we wanted to take a few minutes to highlight these two individuals who have made an indelible mark on Arizona’s public health system.

E92: The Growth of Food in Phoenix

We’ve officially made it to the holiday season of 2021, and for many of us, that means family, friends and FOOD!  So today, we’re catching up with two leaders in Phoenix’s food system: Rosanne Albright with the City of Phoenix and Darren Chapman with TigerMountain Foundation. These two individuals are here to give us a behind the scenes look at their work; to highlight the complexities of where our food comes from; and to remind us about the expansive power of food. So pull up a chair, grab a fork and enjoy this conversation about the growth of food in Phoenix.