Y Monthly Monday Mission Update – “Connection is Public Health”
Hailing from Mali in West Africa, Yaya Koita’s interest in public health was sparked when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention visited his country to talk about malaria prevention. Originally, a medical student, Yaya decided to make the switch to public health, enrolling in a Masters of Public Health program at UMBC.
Two decades since then, Yaya decided to apply his knowledge and passion through direct service in the community. He found out about the Y through AmeriCorps, and signed on to help support our Michelle Becote-Jackson Fresh Mart Food Pantry at the Y in Druid Hill.
“I originally thought the Y was just a gym, a bit of schooling, and summer camps. But I quickly learned that the Y has a strong focus on community health, so I was very interested,” comments Yaya.
Yaya not only plays an integral role in supporting the Y’s food distribution work, but also plays a huge role in actively fostering meaningful connections with community members who frequent the pantry, and often feel overlooked or marginalized.
“When people come in to access food, I get to know them and I encourage them to get to know one another. They come for the food but they end up benefiting from something more. They come sit in the lobby, they make friends. That connection is public health. It starts with food,” comments Yaya.
In recent months, Yaya has dedicated himself to forging a relationship with the local mosque near the Y in Druid Hill. Recognizing that some community members were unable to access Y Food Pantry services due to a lack of culturally appropriate food items, Yaya took proactive steps to address the issue.
“I am Muslim so one day I heard the Masjid ul Haqq mosque calling for prayer. I didn’t even know there was a mosque there and I thought, we could be missing the opportunity to welcome a big part of the community to our pantry. I went there, did the Friday prayer and when I was done, I spoke with them. As a result, we now stock Halal food in the pantry.”
In his 10 short months with the Y, Yaya has made a huge impact.
“Having someone like Yaya on our team, who consistently treats everyone with unwavering respect and kindness, is invaluable. His work not only fosters trust but also enables us to overcome barriers and provide more effective assistance to those in need. Yaya's dedication to the Y’s mission and advancement of public health in the community is truly remarkable,” shares Y Community Health Worker Project Manager, Tysheka Smith.
The existence of Fresh Marts within four of our Y family centers is just one of the ways the Y in Central Maryland is leveraging our existing infrastructure to address the social determinants of health, prevent disease and reduce health disparities. This includes the longstanding work of providing countless opportunities for exercise and socialization; the deployment of Community Health Workers to directly serve the communities surrounding the Druid Hill and Weinberg Y; the significant expansion of health care partnerships enabling ongoing prevention and awareness opportunities across all communities served by the Y, and more.
I am so proud of this work and grateful to the many dedicated and knowledgeable Y volunteers, partners and associates like Yaya who are making a tangible difference in the health and well-being of the communities we serve.
All the best,
John K. Hoey
President & CEO
The Y in Central Maryland