Podcast Episode 28: Trust, Culture, & Community: Improving Health Outcomes in Native Communities

Host: Anna Morgan-Barsamian, MPH, RN, PMP, Senior Manager, Training & Education, NaRCAD

A conversation with Kurt Begaye, Capacity Building and Technical Assistance Manager, Community Health Education and Resiliency Program, Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board.
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Tag: Podcast Series, ​Sexual Health

How do we ensure that health initiatives are shaped by communities, not just delivered to them?

​Join us for a conversation on building trust and meaningful partnerships in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. We explore healthcare access, cultural considerations, and community engagement strategies that can help public health professionals create more effective, respectful, and community-centered approaches for improving health outcomes.

If you would like to connect with Kurt about his work, feel free to reach out to him at [email protected] or 505-270-6374.
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Click here for the audio transcription.

"One thing that we have to recognize is that [...] because of generations of mistrust between the U.S. government and tribal communities, it's understandable that when someone who is not from that tribe wants to come in [,...] and work with the community, no matter how well-intentioned they are, there is going to be a blockage."
-Kurt Begaye

Biography. Kurt Begaye, Hashk’ááhadzohí (Yucca Strung Out on a Line Clan), born for Tó’aheedliinii (Water Flow Together Clan), is Diné originally from Chinle, Arizona and currently resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

He is the Capacity Building and Technical Assistance Manager for the Community Health Education and Resiliency Program at the Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board, Inc. Previously, he was the Director of Training & Technical Assistance with the Southwest Indigenous Women’s Coalition, and prior to that served as a Capacity Building Assistance Specialist first with the National Native American AIDS Prevention Center in Oakland, CA, then with the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum in San Francisco, CA.

Kurt has an extensive background in HIV education, prevention, testing, and capacity building assistance, having led or assisted in the adaptation of four evidence-based interventions for American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities. He has worked with many tribes, people of color-serving non-profit organizations, universities, and health departments across the country. Along with his direct service and capacity building background, Kurt also is a facilitator and trainer in multiple HIV evidence-based behavior interventions through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), and the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
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Kurt is a founding member of the National Native HIV Network and serves as the Parity, Inclusion and Representation co-chair with the New Mexico Community Planning and Action Group. He is the recipient of the 2017 Honoring the Red Ribbon Award.

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