Mashkiki AI²

Specific Problem Addressed:

The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa faces significant disparities in health, education, and economic stability. The Westernized healthcare model currently in place fails to meet their holistic wellness needs, contributing to the tribe’s high rates of unemployment, health disparities, and educational challenges.

Scale of the Problem:

• Geographical and Demographic Context: Turtle Mountain Reservation, a densely populated area within Rolette County, North Dakota, is home to approximately 12,187 residents, predominantly American Indian. Despite its natural beauty, the area is marked by isolation and limited resources.

• Health and Nutrition: The community is designated as a food desert with limited access to nutritious food and grocery stores. Health outcomes are poor, with high rates of diabetes, heart disease, cancers, and obesity. The Indian Health Service, the primary healthcare provider, has an expenditure per user significantly below the national average, resulting in 49% of surveyed residents unable to obtain necessary healthcare.

• Economic Challenges: Rolette County is one of the poorest in the U.S., with a persistent poverty rate and a median household income of $51,301. Approximately 50% of the workforce is unemployed, and the economic structure is overly dependent on government jobs, which often require qualifications that many residents do not possess due to a 16.9% high school dropout rate.

• Social Issues: The community faces severe social challenges, including high rates of mental health issues and abuse, with many residents lacking access to support services.

Global Relevance: While this narrative is localized, similar challenges are faced by Indigenous populations globally. Addressing these issues through a model like Mashkiki Wellness AI² not only promises transformation within the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa but also offers a scalable solution for Indigenous communities worldwide, aligning with a global shift towards more personalized, preventative healthcare models.

Conclusion: Mashkiki AI² proposes a decolonized healthcare model that integrates AI with traditional Indigenous knowledge to create culturally tailored health plans. This approach is designed to improve local health outcomes and can serve as a model for global healthcare reform, particularly for Indigenous populations.

Solution Description:

Mashkiki AI² (MAI²) is a mobile application designed to revolutionize healthcare for the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa by aligning modern artificial intelligence with traditional Indigenous health practices. The app personalizes wellness plans based on individual genetic backgrounds and cultural preferences, ensuring holistic care that encompasses mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. Genomics testing and other anthropometric data can also be integrated.

How It Works:

Enhanced Personalized Wellness Plan with Mashkiki AI²:

1. Comprehensive Initial Setup: Users start by inputting detailed information about their health history, genetic makeup, lifestyle, and cultural preferences into the Mashkiki AI² app. This comprehensive data collection is the foundation for creating a deeply personalized wellness plan.

2. Advanced Health Analysis Using AI: The app leverages machine learning algorithms to analyze the inputted data, identifying unique health patterns and needs. This analysis allows the app to tailor recommendations specifically suited to each user, ensuring relevance and effectiveness.

3. Integration of Traditional and Modern Practices:

   • VR-Enhanced Cultural Experiences: The app incorporates virtual reality technology to recreate traditional physical activities and cultural practices. For instance, VR scenarios might simulate foraging in local environments when in fact it is creating the physical motion of lunges or participating in virtual traditional dances. Providing an immersive experience that reconnects users with ancestral ways of life.
   • AI-Driven Photo Scan for Natural Medicine: Users can utilize the app’s photo scanning feature to identify plants and foods that best suit their body's needs. This tool helps in recognizing traditional medicines and nutritious food options available in their surroundings, supporting healthier lifestyle choices based on traditional knowledge. It will also create menus and instructions on how to utilize the foods and medicines in everyday life.

4. Mental and Spiritual Health Enhancement:

   • The wellness plan includes mental and spiritual health strategies that utilize the natural language processing capabilities of the app. This might involve guided meditations or storytelling sessions voiced by tribal elders, or grocery guidance by our aunties, enhancing the spiritual and emotional well-being of users.

5. Dynamic Adjustments and Real-Time Feedback: As users engage with the plan, they can provide feedback through the app, which continuously learns and adapts the health recommendations. This iterative process ensures the wellness plan evolves to meet the changing health needs and preferences of the user.

6. Data Integrity and Security:

   • Community-Driven Algorithms: The algorithms driving the health recommendations are developed with and safeguarded by real data provided by Tribal members, ensuring they are both accurate and culturally pertinent. All model information will be protected by law.
   • Secure Data Usage: Strong data protection measures are in place to maintain the privacy and security of user data, respecting the sensitive nature of personal and health information.

7. Comprehensive Health Tracking and Support: The app not only provides a plan but also includes tools for tracking health metrics and setting reminders for health-related activities, ensuring users stay engaged and proactive about their health.

This enhanced wellness plan provided by the Mashkiki AI² app exemplifies a cutting-edge approach to healthcare that honors and integrates traditional Indigenous knowledge with modern technology to promote holistic health and wellness.

Technology Utilization in Mashkiki AI²

Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing (NLP): Tailors health recommendations and delivers culturally relevant guidance in tribal voices and even languages, enhancing personalization and cultural connectivity.

Mobile and Offline Technology: Ensures broad accessibility and usability, including in areas with limited internet connectivity, enhancing user engagement through a mobile platform that supports offline functionality.

Virtual Reality (VR): Offers immersive experiences that reconnect users with traditional activities and environments, fostering a deeper cultural engagement.

Image Recognition: Employs computer vision to help users identify and learn about traditional foods and medicinal plants, integrating these insights into daily wellness practices.

Content Management System: Only allows health and wellness content that is created, vetted, and approved by American Indian experts, ensuring cultural authenticity and accuracy.

Cloud Computing and Data Security: Utilizes cloud services for scalable data processing and storage, while maintaining stringent security protocols to protect user data.

User Interface (UI)/User Experience (UX) Design: Focuses on intuitive navigation and incorporates cultural design elements, making the app accessible and engaging for all users.

This streamlined approach leverages cutting-edge technology to deliver a culturally informed, scientifically backed healthcare model that respects and revitalizes Indigenous traditions.

Target Community and Benefits

Beneficiary: The primary beneficiaries of the Mashkiki AI² solution are the approximately 36,000 members of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, both on and off the reservation. Historically, members living off-reservation have had limited access to culturally appropriate services, a gap Mashkiki AI² aims to bridge.

Community Engagement and Understanding: As a lifelong member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and a local entrepreneur, I have a deep personal and professional connection to the community. My engagement extends beyond personal ties; I've formed an advisory committee comprising community leaders to identify our collective strengths and areas for improvement. This committee has been instrumental in cataloging community needs and formulating strategic plans for health and wellness enhancement.

Solution Alignment and Support: The development of Mashkiki AI² is synchronized with broader community initiatives, including a significant grant from the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, supported by SAMHSA. This funding is directed towards reevaluating and enhancing our local system of care, ensuring that our solution is not only aligned with but also actively contributes to these community-driven health improvements.

Addressing Community Needs: By leveraging advanced technology and a deep understanding of tribal health needs, Mashkiki AI² will deliver accessible, culturally tailored health solutions. The application provides a suite of services designed to improve physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, effectively addressing the unique health challenges faced by the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa.

Team Composition and Community Connection

Mashkiki Wellness is deeply embedded in the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indian Reservation, directly reflecting the community it aims to serve. Our team consists entirely of tribe members, encompassing a broad range of roles from physicians and a clinical psychologist to educators, social service agency staff, cultural leaders, and even local entrepreneurs. This diversity ensures a comprehensive understanding of the community's health and cultural needs.

Community-Centric Design

Our design process is intrinsically community-driven. Each member of our six-person staff, along with our advisory committee, are not only stakeholders in our community but also active participants in its daily life. This ensures that our health solutions are not imposed externally but are born within the community, incorporating the lived experiences, traditional knowledge, and contemporary needs of our people.

Implementation and Representation

As locals and representatives of various facets of community life, our team holds a unique advantage in implementing the Mashkiki AI² solution. We understand the nuances of our culture and the specific health challenges that need addressing. Our team’s composition—featuring youth and elders—allows for a multigenerational perspective that respects traditional wisdom while fostering modern health practices.

Guidance by Community Input

The design and implementation of our solution are guided by continual community input. This involves regular consultations with the advisory committee and community feedback mechanisms to ensure that our approach remains aligned with the community’s evolving needs and priorities. We prioritize transparency and adaptability, allowing the project to evolve based on direct feedback from those it serves.

Conclusion

Our team's proximity to and representation of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa not only enriches our solution but ensures it is sustainably integrated into the fabric of our community. By developing a health care model "designed by us, for us," we aim to deliver meaningful and lasting health improvements tailored to the specific needs of our tribe.

This approach guarantees that Mashkiki AI² is not just a technological innovation but a culturally resonant program that embodies the values, needs, and aspirations of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa.

Our project, Mashkiki AI², encompasses two distinct components at different stages of development:

1. In-Person Service Delivery - Pilot Stage: Our health model has been carefully designed and is currently being delivered in-person within the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa community. This phase involves real-world implementation of our health services, where we are actively engaging with community members to refine and adapt our approach based on direct feedback. This hands-on testing and iterative process categorize this component of our project in the Pilot stage.
2. Mobile Application - Concept Stage: Concurrently, we are proposing the development of a mobile application to digitize and extend the reach of our health model. The mobile app is envisioned to enhance accessibility and ensure broader community engagement by leveraging technology to deliver health services efficiently. Currently, this part of our project is still in the Concept stage, as we are in the initial phases of planning and designing the application, with development and testing yet to commence.

Explanation: The in-person delivery of our health model allows us to ground our service in the community's needs and cultural context, ensuring that our approach is both effective and culturally resonant. Transitioning to a mobile platform aims to build on this foundation by providing scalable solutions that maintain the integrity of our services while reaching a wider audience. Each component, though at different development stages, is integral to our overall goal of enhancing health outcomes within the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa.

This dual-stage approach demonstrates our commitment to community-based health innovation, backed by both direct engagement and technological advancement.

Accomplishments and Testing of Mashkiki Wellness Model

To date, Mashkiki Wellness has successfully developed a comprehensive health model tailored for the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, designed to integrate traditional and modern health practices. Our efforts have been supported by a dedicated grant, enabling us to implement this model within the Turtle Mountain community.

Testing and Development: We have conducted several mock trials to refine the model, ensuring its suitability and effectiveness in meeting the community's specific health needs. These trials have been instrumental in shaping the final design of our service, allowing us to adjust and perfect our approach based on preliminary feedback and observations.

Beneficiaries Served: As of now, no official delivery of the health services has commenced; therefore, we have not yet served any beneficiaries. The official launch and implementation of our health model are scheduled to start on May 1, 2024. This upcoming phase will mark the transition from testing to actual service delivery, where we will begin to directly impact the health and well-being of our community members.

Support Needs: As we move towards implementation, our needs are twofold:

1. Technology Support: We seek expertise in developing a mobile application that will enable wider accessibility and more efficient delivery of our health model. This technology will be crucial in scaling our service to reach more community members, both on and off the reservation.
2. Legal Guidance: Navigating the legal parameters of implementing health services, particularly those involving traditional medicine and data privacy, is essential. We require support in ensuring that our services comply with all applicable laws and respect the cultural and legal rights of our community members.

Conclusion: Mashkiki Wellness is poised to make a significant impact on the health and well-being of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. With the foundational work completed and the launch imminent, we are enthusiastic about the positive changes our project will bring. We are committed to transparency, community involvement, and continual improvement as we move forward.

Team Lead: Kristy Zaste

Role: CEO/Creator, Mashkiki Wellness LLC

Tribal Affiliation: Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians

Experience and Background: Kristy Zaste brings over 25 years of experience in grant writing, tribal planning, and advocating for holistic wellness within Native American communities. Holding a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Science in Nutrition and Integrative Health with a focus on Herbal Medicine, Kristy combines a deep understanding of psychology with practical health knowledge to lead community-centric health initiatives.

Leadership Development: Her leadership skills are honed through prestigious programs including The Bush Foundation's Native Nation Rebuilders and the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program. These experiences have refined her community-driven leadership and business acumen.

Entrepreneurial Ventures: Kristy is an entrepreneur with successful ventures such as The Shack Pizzeria & Grill and The Shack Entertainment Venue, demonstrating her commitment to fostering community spirit and economic empowerment.

Community Engagement: As a Tribal Planner for the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Kristy excels in managing grants from inception to fruition. She previously directed the Healthy Families Chapter for the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and served as the Education Director for the Boys & Girls Club of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation. Her work has significantly impacted educational pathways for Indigenous peoples, especially in higher education within North Dakota.

Recent Achievements:

• Led Mashkiki Wellness in fulfilling contracts with the Turtle Mountain School System to address learning loss post-pandemic.
• Completed an educational series of digital recordings for a project with the Native American Financial Organization (NAFOA).
• Nominated by the Tribal Chairman to chair the Tribal Employment Rights Office and sit on the Green Buffalo Board of Directors, supporting developments in the Marijuana industry for the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa.
• Appointed to the North Dakota Council on the Arts Board of Directors and selected as a Future Leaders of America Intern under the USDA Child and Nutrition Services Division.

Conclusion: Kristy Zaste’s extensive experience and deep community ties make her the ideal leader to guide Mashkiki Wellness in its mission to integrate traditional and modern health practices to serve the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa effectively.