#UMNMCH student, Munira Salad (MPH 2024, she/her), describes how her passion for community health and engagement introduced her to community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches and deepened her interest in programs focused on underserved communities. In this Student Spotlight, Munira describes her deployment with the 40-Day Project, which aims to improve postpartum mental well-being in the Somali-Minnesotan community. As a part of her deployment, Munira led focus groups that informed the development and implementation of the curriculum and programming, which was positively received by the families involved, and she hopes to continue with similar work as a public health professional.  

Path to the UMN MPH in MCH Program 

I earned my undergraduate degree in Community Health Education from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Prior to enrolling in the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) MPH Program at the UMN School of Public Health, I worked in various roles serving immigrant and refugee populations in the Twin Cities.

I was drawn to public health because of my passion for community well-being and desire to address health disparities. Growing up in North Minneapolis, a community where socioeconomic barriers and limited resources exist, I became aware of the impact social determinants have on health. This exposure to the reality of health disparities motivated me to pursue a career where I could contribute to creating equitable health opportunities for all individuals, regardless of their background or circumstances.

My first role after graduating college was as a health educator at the International Institute of Minnesota, a local resettlement agency providing essential services, including reception and placement to newly arrived refugees. The agency secured a multi-year federal grant to conduct awareness, prevention, and education services focused on Female Genital Cutting (FGC) within the East-African community in the Twin Cities. My role primarily focused on providing education and support to women affected by FGC within the East-African community. This involved conducting workshops and facilitating discussions to raise awareness about the health risks associated with FGC and to promote reproductive health and rights. Additionally, I worked closely with new Americans, including refugees and immigrants, to help them navigate the challenges of resettlement and access essential health services. This opportunity also allowed me to leverage my community connections, built through volunteering and internships, and to gain exposure to program development and implementation. Seeing the impact this program had on the community, and hearing the concerns expressed by affected women, motivated me to continue this work even after the grant concluded. I hoped to explore deeper into the issue through research and gain a nuanced understanding of this practice that affects many girls and women in my community.

After the grant concluded, I transitioned into another role related to FGC work, this time focused on researching and understanding the impact this practice has on sexual health. In my role as a Community Engagement Specialist within a multidisciplinary team at the University of Minnesota’s Institute for Sexual and Gender Health (ISGH), and through collaboration with academic and community partners, I actively contributed to this crucial research. Given the sensitive nature of the topic, I played a key role in ensuring the community understood the research objectives and encouraged their engagement through transparent communication and culturally responsive approaches. This involved facilitating dialogues between community members and researchers, addressing concerns, and advocating for the inclusion of diverse perspectives in the research process. Additionally, I led recruitment and data collection efforts, building trust within the community and ensuring their voices were heard throughout the research process. I also co-authored multiple manuscripts that disseminated the findings of the study. It was through this experience that I also became familiar with Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), which is a research approach that involves equitable partnerships between community members and academic researchers. It provided me with a first-hand understanding of the transformative nature of CBPR, emphasizing the crucial role of community involvement in the research process and the importance of ensuring that research aligns with community needs and interests while respecting local cultures and values.

It was through these experiences that I realized that a career in public health could help me bridge my interests in research and health education. I am particularly passionate about program development and implementation in underserved communities, specifically among immigrant and refugee populations. I realized that this career pathway would allow me to combine my research interests with my commitment to improving health outcomes in underserved communities.

40-Day Project Deployment

The 40-Day Project is a collaborative partnership involving the UMN Extension, the Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health (MACMH), and the Center for Leadership Education in Maternal and Child Public Health. This initiative focuses on addressing crucial aspects of maternal health within the Somali-Minnesotan community by promoting mental well-being and self-care during the prenatal and postpartum period. Recognizing a gap in postpartum care in the U.S., the project draws insights from Somali cultural practices, particularly the tradition of aftartan-bax, or the 40-day postpartum period of care and support. Traditionally in Somalia, new moms receive special care, attention, and foods to promote healing and wellness during this period. Unfortunately, these supports may be absent in the U.S., creating a gap that the 40-Day Project aims to fill by fostering a holistic and supportive environment through resource sharing and creating spaces where parents can gather to connect with each other and learn to navigate parenthood.

My Contributions and Accomplishments

Since joining the 40-Day Project last summer, I have actively contributed to shaping and expanding the project’s reach. A significant aspect of my involvement early on was conducting focus groups with healthcare and community providers, as well as parents, to gain insight into how the project can be expanded beyond its current web-based model, which delivers content and resources primarily through the project website.

As the facilitator of these focus groups, I had the opportunity to hear from a variety of perspectives that provided valuable feedback for the project’s expansion. Engaging with healthcare professionals, community providers, and parents has been crucial in understanding maternal health nuances within the Somali-Minnesotan community.

Another significant accomplishment is my contribution to developing the postpartum mental well-being curriculum. Collaborating closely with my APEX preceptor, Cari Michaels, I co-developed a curriculum that was created from web-based content. This transitioned the material from online resources to a tangible tool for facilitating support groups for parents. We launched a 5-week, hybrid support group during this past winter break following the curriculum implementation, which was well attended. Our team is proud of convening this first group as this is a key achievement in meeting one of the project’s long-term goals of promoting mental well-being and self-care to new parents during the initial five weeks of the postpartum period. The preliminary feedback from parents who attended indicates a strong need for spaces where parents can co-learn and socialize with others who share similar experiences and values. This positive response underscores the significance of our efforts in addressing the gaps in postpartum care and mental well-being within the Somali-Minnesotan community.

Next Phase of the Project

In the upcoming weeks, we plan to conduct an assessment of the impact of our support group series. We hope to use this information to further refine the project’s approach, ensuring that the content in the curriculum meets the needs of the community. We also plan to use the data to identify potential areas of improvement and adapt the project’s efforts to better serve the community.

Deployment Reflection

My deployment to the 40-Day Project has deepened my commitment to program development and implementation in underserved communities. This experience has highlighted for me the importance of culturally responsive interventions in maternal health and the potential impact of community engagement. It has also further reinforced my belief that the most effective programs are those that involve the community in all aspects of development and implementation, highlighting the importance of collaborating with local community partners to create meaningful change.

BIO

Munira Salad is a full-time third-year MCH MPH student with a background in community health education. She earned her BS in Community Health Education from Minnesota State University, Mankato. In addition to her deployment at the University of Minnesota Extension, Center for Family, Health, and Wellbeing, she is actively involved in additional community-based research programming with the SoLaHmo Partnership for Health and Wellness, in collaboration with the University of Minnesota and local community partners. These projects encompass community engagement on COVID-19 vaccine initiatives and research on mental health services in the Somali community in Minnesota. With a passion for addressing health disparities and promoting culturally resonant interventions, Munira hopes to continue actively engaging with underserved communities after graduating. 

See more about the 40-Day Project here!

LinkedIn #40dayproject post

LinkedIn #40dayproject at Zero to Three Conference

Instagram #40dayproject during Black Maternal Health Week post #1

Instagram #40dayproject during Black Maternal Health Week post #2

Instagram #40dayproject during Black Maternal Health Week post #3

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