Vitalyst Spark

E68: Streets, Spaces, and Vibrancy

The Spark is taking it to the streets! Arizona overall and Tucson in particular had already been engaged in a variety of efforts to re-activate streets in ways that better connect us as people - harmoniously, whether those users are car drivers, transit riders, cyclists or people of various modes and abilities. And then? A little thing known as COVID-19 came a-calling. At first, our streets were nearly deserted. And then they weren’t. All of a sudden we had different needs, while other long neglected needs became urgent. As we transitioned through stages of the pandemic and social change in 2020, public and open spaces became more essential than ever, but in brand new ways.

And that’s what this discussion is all about. How can we utilize streets – which can also be re-considered as perhaps the single largest public real estate investment of any place – in combination with open spaces in order to create community health, well-being and vibrancy?

This conversation picks up where another report left off. Click the link below for "Creating Vibrant Communities," the 113^th Arizona Town Hall Background Report. Throughout the course of last year and 2021, Community Town Halls are convening virtually to discuss the broader question of how to create community vibrancy. This podcast zeroes in on one chapter, the role of streets, transportation and open space. And wow, have things changed since COVID began.

It’s time to talk about streateries, parklets, neighbors connecting in new ways, the realities of a how a downtown business district survives and thrives, how a nonprofit cancels some of its biggest events and does the same, and how a city can best support everyone’s efforts to create community vibrancy, as of March 22, 2021.

Link: Creating Vibrant Communities, the 113th Arizona Town Hall Background Report

E67: COVID-19 Roundtable Update - 3/15/21

This episode marks an anniversary: one year since this podcast’s COVID-19 roundtable began. In those early moments while we were busy sorting out what we were facing it was fairly well understood that the pandemic was not a short-term event, yet this 26^th roundtable discussion seems a little surreal as we all harbor guarded hopes for better days ahead.

The last 12 months have been a terribly rocky road: (1) through politicization of public health interventions that disfigured the U.S. response, (2) through the prism of systemic racism with the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, (3) through rapid cycles of scientific data, healthcare experiences, and vaccine development, and (4) through the reality that American health care resources are not without limits. Many people stayed home. Many others risked their lives in essential roles. We are asked to distance from each other when all we wanted was to be together. We were unable to recognized life milestones in traditional ways. On top of all that, three longstanding American myths - of equality, abundance, and exceptionalism - got shaken to their core.

Which is why it seemed like the right time to spend this roundtable separating the wheat from the chafe. What, and who, and how did we lose? What did we learn? If anything, what did we gain? How, as of this moment anyway, might we go forward? For that matter, what do the next one, three, or six months look like?

These are the questions we’ll approach on our one-year anniversary of the Vitalyst Spark COVID-19 Roundtable. With apologies to Clint Eastwood, it’s time to take a look back AND a look forward at the good, the bad, and the ugly of COVID-19, as of March 15, 2021.

E66: Trauma Sensitive Schools in Arizona

In this episode we’re introducing you to a report and a concept that could make all the difference when it comes to improving educational outcomes in Arizona. The work of Trauma Sensitive Schools sits firmly at the intersection of both education and health. It’s nearly impossible to separate the two. They are interwoven when it comes to a young child’s capacity to show up ready to learn. They are intertwined when it comes to strong educational outcomes that are the basis of economic opportunity. And they are inseparable as key factors for a long and healthy life. As you’ll hear our guests remark repeatedly, everything starts with a true relational connection for our kiddos, and that’s what Trauma Sensitive Schools are all about.

This episode is packed with paradigm shifting insights, so let’s get right to it. It’s time to talk about applying neurobiological insights to the very present and daunting tasks of improving health and educational outcomes in Arizona, as of March 8, 2021.

Report Link - Creating Trauma Sensitive Arizona Schools: Building Resilience to Lessen the Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences

E65: COVID-19 Roundtable Update - 3/1/21

Our roundtable is back. We’ve got a mixed bag of good news and bad news, along with some longer-term implications that we can’t totally be sure about yet. Regardless, it is important that we continue to have our experts share what they know and what they don’t, as well as project what may happen in the future. At times, they’re processing, sorting and adapting in real-time – kind of like we all have been since this pandemic first began challenging our daily lives at just about this time a year ago.

Today, you’ll hear us processing the latest news on how the decline in cases and deaths has turned into a plateau, and possibly a newly unsettling trend of increase. Plus we’ll get more into how our healthcare system is doing, how statewide vaccinations are progressing, how new vaccines could help, and how what happens worldwide makes the difference for us in the U.S. and in Arizona too.

There’s a lot to learn about in this episode, so let’s get right to it. It’s time to talk about what’s going on with Arizona’s rates of infections, hospitalizations, deaths, vaccinations, and more as of March 1, 2021.

Link: Death, Through a Nurse's Eyes (New York Times video of Valleywise COVID ICU)

E64: 2021 Legislative Session Update

In the three years since this podcast originally launched, we’ve talked consistently about the need for policy change, yet we’ve never produced an episode focused on an Arizona Legislative Session. But that all changes today.

In this, our 64^th episode (cue the Beatles When I’m 64), we’ve got some policy champs on the line to talk about what’s going on related to health care, housing and food during this 2021 Legislative Session. The big question, of course, is “how does the pandemic shape what’s happening down there” – and we’re going to get right into that big time in this episode.

It’s time to talk about what’s going on with food systems, housing and health care at the 2021 Arizona Legislative Session, as of February 22, 2021.

Links:

• Arizona Food Systems Network Legislative Advocacy and Priorities
• Arizona Housing Coalition Instant Advocacy
• Vitalyst Legislative Priorities
• Arizona Housing Coalition Legislative Priorities

E63: COVID-19 Roundtable Update - 02/15

This week we’ve got a brand-new panelist and we’re digging into what everybody wants to know about: what’s going on with vaccines?!? It’s clear that Arizona as a state is staking its future on two strategies for COVID. The first relies on individuals being asked to do the right things regarding mitigation. The second relies on vaccinations. We’ll talk about where the numbers are today and what they tell us about mitigation, and then we will shift to all aspects of vaccination, including systematic successes, operational shortcomings, and racial and income inequities – as well as the need for approval of more vaccines to address all of the above.

There’s a lot to learn about in this episode, so let’s get to it. It’s time to talk about the Arizona’s improving numbers, plus all things vaccination-related, as of February 15, 2021.

E62: COVID-19 Global View

This week we’re zooming out from Arizona to gain a more global view of COVID-19. You’re about to meet a complexity science physicist, an epidemiologist at the heart of a successful national COVD strategy, and an independent health care analyst who bridges international and U.S. perspectives. You’ve heard a lot on this podcast about policies and systems for mitigation. Today, the topic shifts to the strategy of elimination: how other countries achieved it while the United States did not, along with thoughts as to why and what can be done next.

There’s a whole new perspective learn about in this episode, so let’s get to it. It’s time to talk about the international picture of the pandemic: what we’ve seen in the world, and what can be learned from different countries’ actions, as of February 8, 2021.

Links:

• endcoronavirus.org
• BMJ Article "Elimination Could Be the Optimal Response Strategy for COVID-19 and Other Emerging Pandemic Diseases," co-authored by Michael Baker
• Guardian Op-Ed "All Countries Should Pursue a COVID-19 Elimination Strategy: Here Are 16 Reasons Why," co-authored by Michael Baker
• Pre-Print: "A Proactive Approach to Fight SARS-CoV-2 in Germany and Europe"

E61: COVID-19 Roundtable Update - 2/1

So much is happening right now: (1) our healthcare heroes and hospital systems continue to be pushed to their limits, (2) at least one new and highly transmissible coronavirus strain is confirmed in Arizona, (3) the death toll climbs, and (4) the toll of social, health, and economic impacts increases too. On the other side of the equation the race to ramp up vaccine approvals, and get actual “shots in arms,” gains momentum. Today, we’ll work to get a handle as to where Arizona stands on each of these items.

One fact still stands out: Arizona continues to lead the nation in terms of weekly average new COVID cases. It was twelve months ago that our state confirmed its first COVID case. We have amassed a year of learning, and it still boils down to this: in order to slow the spread, you’ve got to stay home as much as you can, wash up and mask up when you can’t, and shrink your circle. It really, truly, is that simple. When we don’t do these things, cases rise and more people die. When we do, cases fall and we save lives. Do your part. Slow the spread. Be COVID smart.

It’s time to talk about our healthcare heroes, a COVID 2020 year in review, what’s up with new vaccine approvals, and what’s going on with the current vaccine rollout, as of February 1, 2021.

Links:

• Will Humble/AZPHA 2020 COVID Year-In-Review
• AZPHA 2020 All-Cause Mortality Report
• Joe Gerald 1/29/21 COVID Update 

E60: Tribal Health and Vibrancy

This week’s episode marks the start of a journey into the health, well-being and vibrancy of Arizona’s tribal communities. Tribes comprise 7% of this state’s population, and have governmental responsibilities across 25% of its land mass. Yet tribes are far too misunderstood, and far too little recognized for their wisdom and strengths.

Our three awesome guests took on a daunting task: providing an overview of Arizona’s tribes for the 113th Arizona Town Hall background report entitled Creating Vibrant Communities. The work they did was such a great contribution that space in the report was expanded to give more momentum to busting some myths, building knowledge, and opening up new possibilities.

So let’s get to it. It’s time to open up the discussion about Arizona’s tribal communities, starting with an introduction to the Arizona Town Hall Background Report chapter, its authors, the tribes’ COVID experiences, and much more, as of January 25, 2021.

Links:

Creating Vibrant Communities, the 113th Arizona Town Hall Background Report

Native Nations Institute (Joan Timeche)

Morningstar Leaders (Debbie Nez)

HealthChoice Arizona (Holly Figueroa)

E59: COVID-19 Roundtable Update - 1/18/21

COVID-19 continues to spread substantially in Arizona, leaving few corners of life untouched. You’ll hear quite a bit of discussion between our two guests about just why that is – and you will be hearing from two guests instead of three precisely because of COVID: long-time participant Dr. Nicholas Vasquez started our session at the table, but was drawn away five minutes into the recording by the urgency of another COVID fatality. In fact, as we release this episode, the U.S. will record its 400,000 death from COVID-19, and you’ll hear more perspective on that from Dr. Joshua LaBaer in a few minutes.

400,000 American deaths is a deeply troubling milestone, and urgent policy and change will be needed to slow the spread and stem the tide of hospitalizations and deaths. Please contribute to slowing down the spread: wash up, mask up, and shrink your circle. The more people we bump into, the more chance there is for COVID-19 to spread. It’s that simple. The capacity of our health care system to care for Arizonans is at stake. The well-being of our frontline health care workers is at stake. The lives of Arizonans are at stake. Do your part. Shrink your circle of contact. Be COVID-smart.

Alright, let’s get to it. It’s time to talk about where we’ve gone wrong; how we might want to think about the rules of the road going forward; the latest on operation warp speed and the warped rollout of vaccines; and when some sense of normality might return, as of January 18, 2021.