ASHFIELD — The Indigenous-focused Ohketeau Cultural Center is one of dozens of recipients of a $5.9 million state grant created to support minority organizations working in communities hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Seventy-two community and faith-based organizations received a portion — between $38,500 and $125,000 each — of the money distributed by the state Department of Public Health, with five of the organizations being tribal and Indigenous people-serving groups. The funding is to support ongoing efforts to increase awareness and access to vaccines. The Ohketeau Cultural Center was the only Franklin County recipient.
“This grant is important because we are a minority and we have been rendered invisible during the pandemic,” said Rhonda Anderson, founder and co-director of the Ohketeau Cultural Center. “Massachusetts didn’t collect any data on Native populations until January 2021.”
Anderson explained the grant money will be used to create outreach material to educate the Indigenous community, as well as non-community members. The organization has already made posters with information on COVID-19 vaccines depicting community elders and created radio advertisements that will be aired on 93.9 The River.
Studies show that Indigenous people are more likely to contract COVID-19 and more than twice as likely to die from the disease compared to their white counterparts.
“It is so important to get the community vaccinated,” Anderson said.
The Indigenous community of Massachusetts has about 60% of its population vaccinated. Before the outreach campaign, the vaccinated population was about 30%.
“We have made a huge jump,” said Anderson, who is also the Western Massachusetts Commissioner on Indian Affairs. “I am really proud of that.”
High COVID-19 transmission rates among Indigenous people are not surprising when compared to other inequality statistics. Anderson said Indigenous people have far higher rates of suicide and sexual assault, and Indigenous women are more likely to be murdered.
“We have a long list of health inequities in our community,” she said.
The grants are the result of budget appropriations from the Massachusetts Legislature, building on the state’s investment to increase vaccine awareness and acceptance. These funds support reducing barriers to vaccine access and promoting vaccines and boosters for communities and populations most disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
“Throughout the pandemic, we have turned to trusted community-based organizations who know their communities best,” Public Health Commissioner Margret Cooke said in a statement. “They continue to tap their knowledge and relationships to expand and support our Vaccine Equity Initiative by addressing the unique health equity needs of the populations they serve — needs that continue to be exacerbated by COVID-19.”
Much of the work was already done by Anderson and others volunteers for no money. The Ohketeau Cultural Center worked with the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG), the North American Indian Center of Boston and the state Department of Public Health to receive funding.
Anderson stressed that many people in the community have “white coat syndrome,” meaning that people have intergenerational trauma from health institutions and government agencies and do not trust these institutions now.
“Gaining trust is of paramount importance right now,” Anderson continued, adding that she’s “grateful for the relationship I started with DPH and FRCOG, and their ability to help a struggling population to make a difference and save lives.”
Contact Bella Levavi at 413-930-4579 or blevavi@recorder.com.