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Growing Stronger Together is a podcast for people who care about children.
Growing Stronger Together was developed by faculty at East Tennessee State University, including members of the ETSU Health Department of Pediatrics, the ETSU Center for Early Childhood Learning and Development, and the ETSU Child and Family Health Institute.
East Tennessee State University is located in the beautiful Appalachian Highlands. We appreciate the financial support provided through a Community Health Improvement Site Investment from Ballad Health’s Department of Population Health.
Dr. Karen Schetzina (00:04)
Growing Stronger Together is a podcast developed by faculty at East Tennessee State University for people who care about children and families. We appreciate support provided for the podcast from Ballot Health's Department of Population Health and the Tennessee Department of Health's Maternal Mortality Prevention Program. Our Moms on Monday series features topics important for the health and wellbeing of mothers.
including expectant moms. I am host Dr. Karen Schatzina and am thrilled to welcome our guests today. Aliyah Smith Gomez is a doctoral student in the ETSU College of Public Health and manager for research and faculty development in the ETSU Department of Pediatrics. She is talking with me today about Project MANA.
We do not have any conflicts of interest to disclose related to this discussion today. Aliyah, welcome. Thanks for being here.
Dr. Aliyah Smith (01:15)
Thank you so much. I'm so happy to be here.
Dr. Karen Schetzina (01:19)
So to start us off, could you share a little bit more about your background in career path?
Dr. Aliyah Smith (01:28)
Yes, so my career path has always been rooted in public health, specifically in community health. ⁓ I'm an ETSU girlie all the way. I've gotten all my education at ETSU, starting with my bachelor's in exercise science. Then I went on to get my master's of public health at ETSU. And now I am pursuing my doctor of public health at the university.
⁓ And along the way, I've had the privilege of working as a graduate assistant doing research in the College of Public Health at the university. And I've also been involved in civic engagement activities. ⁓ I've also had the opportunity to work in the field nationally supporting urban Indian health centers.
And I would say all of these experiences have shaped my passion for health equity and helping to grow strong, healthy families no matter what background they're from.
Dr. Karen Schetzina (02:33)
Well, we are fortunate to have you here with us today. What is Project MANA, or M-A-N-A, I know you spell it, all capitals, M-A-N-N-A. Tell us about the project and why it was developed.
Dr. Aliyah Smith (02:52)
So Project MANA is a community-based program that connects Black mothers in our regions with Black farmers throughout Appalachia. And through this connection, Project MANA works with these farmers to provide fresh farm-based products to these women free of charge. So
basically just closing that gap between ⁓ fresh food and access for mothers in the perinatal period.
or mothers who are pregnant or within 12 months of postpartum. ⁓ And I would say that this project came out of a personal experience for me. ⁓ I know some people may know my story, some people may not, but when I was 18, I had my first child at 18, fresh out of high school. And you know, money was tight ⁓ and I bought what I could and most of the time.
I couldn't buy those fresh, good, organic foods because they were just way too expensive. ⁓ And I just, and you know, I'm thinking about other things like, you know, I want to go to college. I got to save for this. I got to save for that. So, you know, I was just like, money was tight. ⁓ And I just always thought, I just, I wish I could have ate more healthier. I wish I could have had more access to those foods. I lived in a rural area. So, you know.
gas, getting a car, going to grocery stores. It was just really hard at the time. And now that I look back and when I proposed this project, I was really thinking about myself and all of the other mothers who have went through that or maybe going through it at the like at this present moment. So ⁓ I don't know, maybe this problem. Yeah, it did. I would say, yes, it came out.
a personal experience and it just grew and grew. It was a seed that grew in my heart. And I just wanted to help other mothers ⁓ just get access to something as basic as fresh foods. I think everybody should have access to healthy foods, especially when you are growing a human being in your body.
Dr. Karen Schetzina (05:02)
I love that you've created such a meaningful program from your lived experience and public health training. You know, as a healthcare provider, I know how important nutrition is and what we eat, especially for maternal health and in growing families. But I hear that a lot. know, eating healthy is too expensive.
And so I think this really provides a wonderful opportunity for our region. So the name, how did you come up with the name and do the letters? Are those, is that an acronym or an abbreviation?
Dr. Aliyah Smith (05:48)
It is actually a acronym. So MANA, of course, we all know MANA, that term from the Bible. I'm a very biblical Christian woman. So I lean on my faith heavily. ⁓ And I think when I came up with this project, I was reading about the chapter in the Bible that was discussing MANA and it just clicked like, ⁓ MANA, I really like this. So MANA actually, that acronym stands for Mother's Access to Natural
nutritious elements. ⁓ And I don't know, it just clicked maybe with something from God, but I just chose to use Manna in that acronym and that's why it's capitalized. ⁓ So I just wanted to include some of my biblical faith in this personal project that I was bringing out to our region.
Dr. Karen Schetzina (06:43)
that and thank you for explaining it. I wondered and ⁓ I think there's a lot in the name and that's definitely very meaningful ⁓ name. So let's talk a little bit more about the project. Who can participate and how can they join?
Dr. Aliyah Smith (07:07)
So our program is open to Black mothers of all ages living in Washington County, Tennessee, who are pregnant or within 12 months of postpartum. ⁓ Mothers can sign up directly through our website. We have virtual flyers floating around on the web. We have some flyers posted in the ETSU Pediatrics Clinic. ⁓ And we also have flyers posted throughout town.
random spots. if you know someone who would like to sign up, feel free to email me if you have my phone number, text me, ⁓ and we can definitely pass over that link ⁓ for mothers to sign up.
Dr. Karen Schetzina (07:53)
And we will be sure to include all the details and how to contact you in the show notes for today's episode. ⁓ What should program participants expect if they join Project MANA?
Dr. Aliyah Smith (08:12)
So participants can expect to receive fresh healthy foods that are locally sourced from black farmers throughout Appalachia. We will provide in all packages, eggs, produce, raw honey, even herbal coffee, all good foods that will make a huge difference in diet and nutrition for black mothers in the perinatal period.
What I found was a lot of the black farmers in our region produce a lot of amazing things down from herbal teas, herbal coffees, raw honey. They have chicken eggs, have duck eggs, they have halal meat, different types of meats going on, milk. So they produce overall amazing products that a lot of people do not know about.
⁓ And this project is twofold. So I would say the second part of this project is also just growing the popularity of these black farmers and what they're doing and bringing it to the forefront. So it's kind of like you help me and I help you kind of that back and forth thing going on.
Dr. Karen Schetzina (09:21)
Why is this program so important and particularly, you know, why now and why in our region of southern Appalachia, northeast Tennessee and the mountain region?
Dr. Aliyah Smith (09:35)
So this program is important because it addresses a critical gap in our state. So in Tennessee, Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy related complications than any of their racial counterparts. And diet and nutrition is one of the underlying factors that contribute to these poor health outcomes. So by addressing access to nutrition during the perinatal period,
Project MANA is working to reduce these disparities and improve maternal health outcomes for Black women in our region. And I know ⁓ it's just our region, but we have to start somewhere. And I know the East Tennessee community is great. It's a great community for families to live in. And you know, they say if you want to go big, you got to start small. So we might as well start in the greatest region.
in the US. ⁓
Dr. Karen Schetzina (10:35)
I love it. ⁓ So where do you see this going in the future? What are your future goals for the program?
Dr. Aliyah Smith (10:45)
Our future goals, I would say, is to grow. I would love to grow and expand. Right now, we received a small grant which has helped us launch a pilot project where we're working with a few mothers this fall to jumpstart the program. It's very small scale right now, but if all goes well and if funding comes through, if more funding comes through.
⁓ then we hope to expand and include more black women throughout the region. I know right now we are just in Washington County, but I hope that in the future we're able to expand across multiple counties in East Tennessee. ⁓ Hopefully we can reach out at least as far as Knoxville within the next five to 10 years. But you know,
that all comes with funding opportunities and connections. And right now I'm starting super small and hopefully we get our name out there and our work makes a difference and people are willing to bet on us and give us some funding and we can grow and expand. And hopefully, maybe within the next 10 to 15 years, this can be a program that grows across the state of Tennessee.
⁓ And when I get old and gray, something that one of my three daughters can take on for me and move it across the whole US. So that is my hopes and dreams.
Dr. Karen Schetzina (12:16)
Well, you and your work are definitely inspirational and thank you again for all that you're doing in our community. Before we wrap up, is there anything else you'd like to add?
Dr. Aliyah Smith (12:32)
⁓ I think that is it for me. am very grateful ⁓ to be a guest on the podcast today. So thank you, Dr. Skitsina for inviting me. ⁓ As I said before, Project Manna is still growing and we'd love for more people to get involved, whether that's through partnership, volunteering, or just simply spreading the word about what we're doing.
So please check out our socials and that will be in the notes. I will also add the email and if we can, we can attach ⁓ a copy of the flyer on it as well. So you will be seeing Project MANA again.
Dr. Karen Schetzina (13:14)
Wonderful. Thank you again for talking with me today.
Dr. Aliyah Smith (13:18)
You're welcome. Thank you for having me.
Dr. Karen Schetzina (13:21)
This podcast is not intended to provide medical advice. If you or a loved one are working through a medical issue related to this topic, please consult a health care provider.