COVID-19 Trusted Messengers & Community Partners

The county’s COVID-19 Racial Equity and Community Engagement Response Team (RECERT) is partnering with trusted messengers and community organizations to ensure Ramsey County's diverse racial, ethnic and cultural communities are informed about coronavirus, county services and community resources during the pandemic.

The partnerships include three initiatives:

• Trusted messengers - Partners will share critical health messages to provide up-to-date, culturally and linguistically appropriate information and resources to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
• Community conversations - Partners will engage individuals, families and community groups in online and/or phone discussions to gather input and knowledge on community perceptions of COVID-19 and what is needed to slow the spread.
• Cultural community connectors - Partners will provide accurate and timely COVID-19 education, outreach and resource connections, and referrals to county and community services and information.

A total of $937,500 in funding was awarded in November 2020 to 24 community agencies, trusted messengers and media agencies. The contracts will run through Dec. 30, 2020, and utilize federal funding provided to the county through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

A first round of trusted messenger and media partner contracts was awarded in July 2020.

Partner list

Target audience: Black/African American/ADOS community

• Black Civic Network
  Contracts: Trusted messenger, community conversations, cultural community connectors
• Hallie Q. Brown
  Contracts: Trusted messenger, community conversations, cultural community connectors
• Family Values for Life
  Contracts: Trusted messenger, cultural community connectors
• Generations 2 Generations
  Contract: Cultural community connectors
• Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  Contract: Trusted messenger
• Run Like Harriet
  Contracts: Trusted messenger, community conversations
• St. Paul Promise Neighborhood
  Contract: Community conversations

Target audience: African-born community

• Grace International
  Contract: Trusted messenger
• Wellshare International
  Contract: Trusted messenger
• Minnesota Dawah Institute
  Contracts: Trusted messenger, community conversations
• Africa Network for Development Incorporated
  Contracts: Trusted messenger, community conversations
• Restoration for All Inc.
  Contracts: Trusted messenger, community conversations
• The Ark Covenant Ministry
  Contract: Community conversations

Target audience: Youth and young adult community

• The Black Tech Guy
  Contracts: Trusted messenger, community conversations, cultural community connectors
• The JK Movement
  Contracts: Trusted messenger, cultural community connectors
• McLemore Holdings LLC
  Contracts: Trusted messenger, community conversations
• Project Restore
  Contracts: Trusted messenger, community conversations

Target audience: Latino/x community

• Santamaria Broadcasting (La Raza)
  Contract: Trusted messenger
• Hispanic Advocacy and Community Empowerment through Research (HACER)
  Contracts: Trusted messenger, community conversations, cultural community connectors

Target audience: American Indian community

• AM 950 Radio/ Native Roots Radio/St. Paul Indians in Action
  Contracts: Trusted messenger, community conversations

Target audience: Asian/Pacific Islander community

• Hmong American Partnership
  Contracts: Trusted messenger, community conversations, cultural community connectors
• Hmong 18 Council
  Contracts: Trusted messenger, community conversations, cultural community connectors
• Hmong Health Care Professionals Coalition
  Contract: Trusted messenger
• Vietnamese Social Services
  Contracts: Trusted messenger, community conversations