[0:12] Minneapolis, [0:25] opioid awareness. Um, [0:32] Tony, [0:36] Minneapolis Health Department. [0:50] Tony, welcome. [0:51] Thank you. [0:52] Um, can you introduce yourself? [0:54] Sure. My name is Tony Zakardi. [0:56] I'm a public health specialist with the [0:58] city. [1:19] So sorryan [1:29] somebody in long-term recovery. I'm [1:32] really proud of your recovery [1:33] experience. Um can you tell us what [1:35] recovery means to you? [1:36] Sure. Recovery to me means uh second [1:40] chance at life. [1:44] How to live a human being growth. [2:06] Alhamdulillah. [2:08] City of Minneapolis. [2:28] opioid [2:30] question number one. Uh the opioid [2:32] response team is committed to working [2:34] with uh community partners to address [2:36] the opioid crisis in Minneapolis. [2:40] uh this with a focus on youth from the [2:42] East African, African-American and [2:44] native communities, populations. [2:48] Um and there has been um a lot of work [2:53] um in terms of um asanolin [2:57] campaigns. Can you tell us a little bit [2:59] about the campaign? [3:00] Sure. Uh in late 2024 [3:04] youth opioid awareness, [3:06] we didn't focus on [3:09] social media uh and peer [3:14] conversations. We wanted to talk to each [3:16] other. [3:24] We've also launched our vending [3:26] machines. [3:32] Um so there's a lot of different parts [3:35] coming together to address [3:41] Um [3:47] two, why is the city of Minneapolis [3:49] doing this campaign? [3:51] Uh yeah, the uh opioid use is isn't a [3:54] crisis in our community. [3:57] You know, we feel one death too many. [4:00] We had a 15% increase in opioid death [4:02] 2022 to 2023, [4:05] the largest number being in the blacks. [4:07] American community. [4:11] We've seen significant in the Native [4:13] Americans. [4:17] So, you know, we we've uh [4:25] recovery. Her uncle is dying [4:29] and we just we just needed to [4:34] recover. [4:40] The opioid use impacts families, you [4:43] know, friends and other [4:46] we can do it. [4:51] Sorry. [5:02] community. [5:34] Minneapolis campign [5:41] solution. [5:44] Um Tony [5:51] um some ways the city is working to [5:54] prevent opio use in our community. [6:02] Some of the ways [6:05] opioid epidemic. [6:07] Sure. Um, you know, we provide funding [6:09] to community groups uh that work [6:12] throughout the city directly with those [6:14] in addictions. That money goes to peer [6:16] recovery service, housing, [6:20] treatment, life-saving medications, and [6:22] more [6:25] medical unit like I mentioned. On that, [6:28] we're going to write basic health [6:29] screenings. [6:31] wound care, medication consultations, [6:36] vaccinations, mental health [6:39] potentially [6:41] youth health especially underserved [6:44] communities [6:46] physical exams maybe dental care [6:51] used to [6:54] and while it doesn't prevent you [6:57] in north and south Indianapolis [7:01] which is a something we want everyone to [7:03] have can help save lives. [7:06] That's one big thing. [7:09] Also, [7:12] we've got different campaign literature, [7:15] multiple languages, small, [7:20] Spanish, [7:23] and so on so forth. Try and reach [7:25] communities all over the neighbor, all [7:27] over the city. I'm also doing a lot of [7:29] work with Elliot Park right now. There's [7:32] a big kind of a big name. I'm seeing a [7:34] lot of Somali use over there too. [7:43] Yes, absolutely. Um, thank you. [8:00] community members, organizations who are [8:03] representing the East African community [8:06] and they are funding them. [8:28] City of community [8:32] because [8:36] opioid awareness campaign [8:40] Minneapolis the city of Minneapolis. [8:44] Um so thank you. I was just irritating [8:46] to them the fact that the city of [8:48] Minneapolis is in fact putting a lot of [8:50] resources into the East African [8:51] community when it comes to opioid [8:53] epidemic. Um so [9:04] how might people find themselves using [9:06] opioids and how can they avoid it um [9:09] from a prevention aspect? Well, I think [9:11] uh it's important to know that um you [9:14] know, unless prescribed by a doctor, no [9:16] pill is [9:20] we're finding [9:21] people see counterfeit pills that look [9:23] like [9:31] we are uh we're seeing [9:40] And [9:42] we need people to stop um and just be [9:45] aware of of everything you put in your [9:47] body. You know, unless it comes from a [9:49] doctor, you're not 100%. [9:59] No, that's No, these are all good. [10:20] awareness outachio. [10:46] Because [10:52] secrets keep us sick. So we need [10:55] community. [11:06] Um what are some of the signs that [11:09] people should be on the lookout for? [11:17] Yeah, definitely. I mean if you see [11:19] people falling asleep or not when they [11:21] shouldn't be um a change in friend or [11:24] peer group loss of income asking for [11:28] money [11:29] a shift in priorities [11:32] mood changes in irritability [11:36] for people making excuses [11:40] decision [11:42] making [11:47] a change Sleep habits, keeping secrets [11:50] like you said, [12:04] medication or prescription. [12:22] red flag [12:27] prescription um you know when somebody [12:30] is like prescription shopping you know [12:33] or far you know they they go to all the [12:35] differentarmacies and that's another [12:39] um [12:44] Um [12:56] 24 hours. [13:05] Um, [13:06] can you tell us [13:13] resources? What are some of the [13:14] resources available to people and [13:16] families? [13:17] Sure. And we have we have plenty of [13:18] resources for all forage. [13:25] Uh, we do.gov [13:31] resources. [13:34] If we're struggling, you know, we know [13:35] it's hard to talk about [13:40] [Music] [13:41] spiritual guide. [13:43] Anyone you can trust that you can be [13:44] open to is important. [13:48] We also have on the north side, we've [13:50] got station 14 [13:53] and we're developing one here pretty [13:55] soon. Um, you can walk in and get [13:57] recovery services right on the spot that [13:59] you can get into treatment even if you [14:00] don't have the money. [14:03] Um, we also are offering a new and this [14:06] is [14:08] we have new. [14:11] So if you want treatment for fentanyl, [14:13] you can walk in Riverside or Knack. You [14:16] just tell them you want help and the [14:18] city provides the medication and they'll [14:21] get you on on a long ass shot like a [14:23] supplicate um to get people in recovery [14:26] right away which is a big help. [14:31] But uh just talking about anyone talking [14:33] about it with anybody is you know is [14:36] really the key. [14:38] If you want help it's there. [14:42] Yeah. [14:46] um [14:49] um all this information, how can people [14:52] get involved? [14:53] Sure. Well, I think being present in [14:55] your community, [14:57] having regular conversations with your [14:59] children, area youth, [15:03] and have compassion when talking, [15:07] people are in active addiction know that [15:09] they're in active. [15:11] Um and so you know keeping a keen eye [15:14] and just being compassionate talking to [15:16] people [15:18] need help [15:48] Because [16:01] because [16:03] the person knows that they're in [16:04] addiction. The person knows [16:10] this kid. [16:21] We care about you. [16:31] Um, is there anything else you'd like to [16:33] mention? [16:38] Uh, absolutely. Um, I think it's [16:40] important to know as somebody in [16:43] recovering from active addiction myself, [16:46] um, I know there's a lot of shame in [16:48] addiction. Um, but getting that stigma [16:50] out of it and just trying to find a way [16:53] to help that person without judgment [16:56] with compassion when you can, and [16:57] knowing that, you know, these people on [16:59] the streets, that's somebody's baby. You [17:02] know, that's somebody's brother or [17:03] mother or sister. [17:06] So knowing that there's a human being in [17:07] there that needs help and pride in [17:11] everyone else's side to reach out for [17:14] help because it's there and we're here [17:17] there's a lot of people that care [17:20] to be a part of that. [17:24] Thank you. Um, and I want to just [17:26] mention, um, earlier we were talking [17:28] about, um, you being, you know, in in [17:31] the community in Cedar Riverside and you [17:33] working out there for many, many years. [17:36] Can you tell us a little bit of what you [17:37] saw in that space? [17:40] Sure. Um, you know, I used to own [17:41] Palmer's Bar on 500 seat. [17:46] Um, [17:49] a lot of youth on the streets at all, [17:53] fighting with each other, killing [17:55] people, [17:57] you know, asking for cigarettes, [18:00] people being dragged into the towers, [18:02] beat up and [18:04] saw, a lot of theft and broken windows, [18:08] a lot of garbage on the streets, [18:10] had a lot of, but I also saw I saw a lot [18:13] of, a lot of beauty. So, you know, I [18:17] know what's there and I know that [18:18] community [18:21] um I know there's a lot of love in [18:23] Somalia and San Francisco in the smile [18:26] in the towers up and down. [18:30] So I saw well I saw a lot of bad I saw a [18:34] lot of hope and um that's what I chose [18:36] to that's why I chose to invest in Cedar [18:39] Riverside. [18:40] Um you know it's one of those you know [18:44] let's work together to [18:46] help each other and [18:49] so I think um it's a neighborhood that [18:52] needs a lot of help [18:54] and support [18:56] and I'm here to help any way I can. [19:00] Well, um, thank you and I'm super [19:02] grateful. Um, you're a huge asset to the [19:04] city and I'm glad that you're part of [19:06] the city. [19:25] alaykum.