Walz Enlists Leaders To Encourage Vaccine, Educate, Assist

Across Minnesota —Speaking at a news conference at Shiloh Temple International Ministries in Minneapolis Tuesday afternoon, Gov. Tim Walz discussed how the state will be working with at least 30 community-based groups to help ensure all Minnesotans know how to get the COVID-19 vaccine and understand its effectiveness.

"I'm thrilled that we have invested in organizations on the ground to help connect Minnesota's diverse communities with the vaccine," Walz said in a statement. "We are committed to making it as easy as possible for Minnesotans from every community to get the vaccine when it's their turn."

Leaders from many of these community-based groups joined Walz at the event. In many cases, these leaders work with communities hit hard by COVID-19, including communities of color, American Indian communities, LGBTQ+ communities, Minnesotans with disabilities and refugee populations.

Though the state does not have enough vaccines for all Minnesotans yet, that time will come. But Walz said he understands why some Minnesotans, in some cases from minority communities, might be skeptical about taking the vaccine.

"Much of that vaccine hesitancy has every right to be hesitant over historical problems around it," Walz said at the news conference, according to KTSP. "But getting validators now, getting them early and starting to make the case, we think will alleviate that."

Walz continued: "It’s in all of our interests, from a basic human rights perspective and from a public health perspective, to do all we can to strive to reach that 80-percent vaccination level. If we can across the state, and across the country, that’s where we get to the point where we really crush this thing down.”

According to KTSP.com, the state will be working with these community-based organizations to ensure the vaccine reaches as many Minnesotans as possible:

African Career, Education Resources, Inc. (ACER); African Immigrant Community Services (AICS); American Indian Community Housing Organization; Briva Health; CAPI USA; Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES); Comunidades Orgainzado el Poder y la Acción Latina (COPAL); Cultural Wellness Center; Department of Indian Work— Interfaith Action of Greater St. Paul; Hispanic Advocacy and Community Empowerment through Research (HACER); Hmong American Partnership; Islamic Association of North America; JustUs Health; Northwest Indian Community Development Center; Phyllis Wheatley Community Center; Stairstep Foundation; Tserha Aryam Kidist Selassie (TAKS); Vietnamese Social Services of Minnesota; WellShare International; BLIND, Inc.; Lighthouse Center for Vital Living; Vision Loss Resources; Access North Center for Independent Living of Northeastern Minnesota; Independent Lifestyles; Metropolitan Center for Independent Living (MCIL); Options: Interstate Resource Center for Independent Living (IRCIL); Southeastern Minnesota Center for Independent Living (SEMCIL); Southern Minnesota Independent Living Enterprises & Services (SMILES); and the DHS Refugee and Immigrant Resettlement Network.

Read more at KTSP.com.