Vani Howard

I have worked as a CHW for about six to seven years. And with majority of my CHW career has been with WellShare, which is a nonprofit organization. And during that time, I have partaken and worked in numerous programs and projects throughout.

I have worked as a CHW for about six to seven years. And with majority of my CHW career has been with WellShare, which is a nonprofit organization. And during that time, I have partaken and worked in numerous programs and projects throughout.

Um, I mean, uh, majority of the points, uh, Kristen, um, have basically touched based on it, but yeah, but I mean, uh, when I was starting off as a CHW, um, it was like a very new field and, um, and, you know, and position, um, in the community itself, but being in it for, for, for quite some time, I feel like that itself has basically, um,

Um, I mean, uh, majority of the points, uh, Kristen, um, have basically touched based on it, but yeah, but I mean, uh, when I was starting off as a CHW, um, it was like a very new field and, um, and, you know, and position, um, in the community itself, but being in it for, for, for quite some time, I feel like that itself has basically, um,

came up in the works and has gotten a lot of recognition and is still getting a recognition in the midst of all this. And even within today, just this current time that we're in, that's the whole thing that we're working towards at is basically to get that recognition out for CHWs more in the community for individuals to kind of know that CHWs do exist.

came up in the works and has gotten a lot of recognition and is still getting a recognition in the midst of all this. And even within today, just this current time that we're in, that's the whole thing that we're working towards at is basically to get that recognition out for CHWs more in the community for individuals to kind of know that CHWs do exist.

I mean, like how Angela and Vanya has stated that people might have worked and been assisted by a CHW, but under a different title. So technically that, you know, they may have been assisted or they might have, you know, collaborated with other individuals, but not under maybe the CHW title.

I mean, like how Angela and Vanya has stated that people might have worked and been assisted by a CHW, but under a different title. So technically that, you know, they may have been assisted or they might have, you know, collaborated with other individuals, but not under maybe the CHW title.

But I mean, that's the whole purpose that we're on here today is to get that word out, to get that recognition out to let the community know that CHWs do exist and that we're basically here to help.

But I mean, that's the whole purpose that we're on here today is to get that word out, to get that recognition out to let the community know that CHWs do exist and that we're basically here to help.

What I really enjoyed when I was working as a CHW with that nonprofit organization was the fact that I was an advocate for the community that I represent, which is basically the Somali community. So working as an advocate for such a large community and knowing that Minnesota basically holds one of the largest Somali population in the United States.

What I really enjoyed when I was working as a CHW with that nonprofit organization was the fact that I was an advocate for the community that I represent, which is basically the Somali community. So working as an advocate for such a large community and knowing that Minnesota basically holds one of the largest Somali population in the United States.

So coming across different individuals of different ages needing assistance, whether it was in the clinics, in the hospitals, whether it was inpatient, outpatient care, whatever it was, whether it was Just, you know, health prevention overall, whether it was just just advocating for them and and and other ways of like assisting them, whether it was with housing with food with.

So coming across different individuals of different ages needing assistance, whether it was in the clinics, in the hospitals, whether it was inpatient, outpatient care, whatever it was, whether it was Just, you know, health prevention overall, whether it was just just advocating for them and and and other ways of like assisting them, whether it was with housing with food with.

There was just like the the assistance that I was doing as a CHW within the Somali community was very, very large and it was very like a broadened aspect of a lot of things and. And just knowing that I was able to kind of assist them with every need that they basically have was one of my biggest and my most enjoyable thing that I worked as a CHW.

There was just like the the assistance that I was doing as a CHW within the Somali community was very, very large and it was very like a broadened aspect of a lot of things and. And just knowing that I was able to kind of assist them with every need that they basically have was one of my biggest and my most enjoyable thing that I worked as a CHW.

Because even within the communities that we were serving as a CHWs, and even with my previous colleagues that I was working with, and they were from the Oromo community, they were from the Hmong community, they were from the Hispanic community. So, so many CHWs come from different ethnics and backgrounds.

Because even within the communities that we were serving as a CHWs, and even with my previous colleagues that I was working with, and they were from the Oromo community, they were from the Hmong community, they were from the Hispanic community. So, so many CHWs come from different ethnics and backgrounds.

And knowing that a lot of people are being assisted and a lot of CHWs from different backgrounds are being utilized, knowing that we're able to give back to the communities that we represent and that we're from is one of the most enjoyable thing that a CHW could really attest to.

And knowing that a lot of people are being assisted and a lot of CHWs from different backgrounds are being utilized, knowing that we're able to give back to the communities that we represent and that we're from is one of the most enjoyable thing that a CHW could really attest to.