ST. CLOUD --  A St. Cloud man is one of 24 people who have been named a Bush Fellow by the Bush Foundation.

Kahin Adam is on a mission to decrease barriers to culturally relevant health care and mental health services for immigrants and refugees. He learned first-hand as a refugee from Somalia how difficult it can be to navigate health systems and how lack of access to health care leads to chronic disease and mental illness.

Adam serves as an educator, community organizer, and the only psychotherapist in St. Cloud specializing in the treatment of patients who have experienced trauma.

The Bush Fellowship provides Fellows with up to $100,000 over 12 to 24 months to pursue education and learning experiences that help them develop the skills and relationships to foster large-scale change in their communities and region.

From this year’s 538 applications, a committee of Bush Fellow alumni selected quarterfinalists for one-to-one mentoring sessions with a Bush Fellow alum. Semi-finalists shared more about their vision and plan with Foundation staff, and finalists completed interviews with a selection committee of community leaders.

More than 2,400 people have received support from the Fellowship. The Bush Fellowship counts among its alumni playwright August Wilson; former Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson; and epidemiologist and infectious disease expert Michael Osterholm.

The Bush Foundation will accept applications for the 2022 Bush Fellowship beginning August 10. The Bush Fellowship is open to anyone age 24 years and older who wants to build their ability to make change happen. Applicants must live in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota or one of the 23 Native nations that share the same geography.

Get our free mobile app

8 Fast Food Chains That Should Come to St. Cloud

More From AM 1240 WJON