Standing in a clinic in south Minneapolis, Del Gates, VJ Smith and Clarence Jones worked to settle a question: "Why is it so difficult to convince men to get medical help, whether it's routine checkups or urgent issues?"

That conversation sparked a movement that eventually became the Hue-MAN Partnership.

“The name Hue-MAN comes is meant to recognize that while people are all different hues, they are human. That’s how Hue-MAN came about,” Del, principal Medicaid program manager at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, explains.

Just over a decade later, the organization continues to directly address health disparities for men, particularly men of color, in their communities. For her important role in establishing the organization, the Hue-MAN Partnership, recently awarded Del Gates with the first-ever Legacy Award for her outstanding work in establishing the organization.

The award letter, addressed from Clarence Jones, who now serves as Hue-MAN’s community health strategist, reads: “Del, there is no doubt of the value you have been to our organization. As the co-founder of this work, you have contributed innumerable hours and resources to make us a public health advocate and resource provider in our community.”

The letter also called out that, based on Del’s contributions, more than 200,000 health screenings have taken place, stating that “because of this devotion to making our community and children healthier and safe, we want to acknowledge you with this honor.”

"Because of this devotion to making our community and children healthier and safe, we want to acknowledge you with this honor." -Award letter to Del Gates from Hue-MAN Partnership

The start of a movement

Back in 2010, while chatting with VJ and Clarence about the difficulty of getting men to do their health checks, Del wondered aloud, “If men won’t go to clinics, why don’t we bring the clinics to the men?”

From that grain of an idea, grassroots movement was underway. Working with many community partners, a small and mighty team put in the work to launch a community celebration that would allow for a gathering of neighbors but also intentionally integrate a health and wellness clinic into the event.

The team chose to hold their first event at the Sabathani Community Center in south Minneapolis, a popular and familiar neighborhood venue. Not only did men come, but their spouses and children attended with them. At the event, vendors and guests filled the first floor of the large building, totaling around 300 people.

Some of the booths included health screenings for high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV and mental wellness. There were also asthma checks and autism screenings and other resources for the kids who attended. In addition, thanks to donations from local grocery stores, the team was able to give away boxes of food filled with staples like fresh fruit.

“Food stability matters, so we gave away boxes of healthy food,” Del explains. “It was an incentive to get people to attend and addressed a community need—access to fresh, healthy foods.”

At the event the organizers intentionally surveyed the community. Volunteers canvased the crowd, asking attendees questions about their attention to their health. They found, not to a great surprise, that most men said that they didn’t regularly see a doctor.

“We were basically doing social determinants of health before it was called social determinants of health.”

“We were basically doing social determinants of health before it was called social determinants of health,” Del says. “We wanted to provide a report back to the community. We did that every time we had an event.”

These surveys backed up with data what they already knew— allowing them to awareness and provide solutions that combat the noted barriers in access to care.

Building on a successful model

Following the great attendance and outcomes from the first event, Hue-MAN- hosted their second event at a well-known community park, which drew an even larger crowd. Del estimates that approximately 800 people attended that gathering. The event also included a larger number of vendors, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, who was among the organizations that provided sponsorship funding.

Since that time— until the inability to do so recently due to restrictions put in place by the COVID-19 pandemic— Hue-MAN has continued to host several community events, each time polling attendees and gathering data to figure out where gaps exist that are barriers to health care access.

They also host many smaller events at local barbershops and hair salons, gathering places where they can meet with community members to learn and provide support. “We called the beauty shop clinics ‘Clippers and Curls,’” Del says. “It was a natural place to meet people where they are and have an open and honest conversation.”

"[Hue-MAN's] partnership with Blue Cross helps us to connect one-on-one with individuals to address their health needs and access to care."

Del says the model works because it is based on authentic and intentional community engagement.

“Hue-MAN is basically an umbrella that brings together all community and health care resources,” Del says. “Hue-MAN’s whole intent is to have community engagement in your face. Our partnership with Blue Cross helps us to connect one-on-one with individuals to address their health needs and access to care.”

After the first two Hue-MAN events, Del decided to bow out of her leadership role within the organization, though has continued to be an advisor as needed since that time.

The Hue-MAN board does continue to occasionally call Del for advice on new vendors, speakers or events. She says that as an advisor, “I help with the framework, but they have to do the plumbing.”

Continuing community service with Hue-MAN and Blue Cross

Del brings the same passion and understanding to how to work with communities to improve their health to her work on Blue Cross’ Medicaid team.

“In the Medicaid world, you have to know who your partners are and who is really passionate. I help lock them together,” Del says. “It’s the same thing I did with Hue-MAN. I helped build this model to make them successful.”

To this day, Hue-MAN’s work continues thanks in large part to Del’s support and commitment, including through her work on Blue Cross’ Medicaid team.

“Sometimes it’s the little guys that you don’t pay attention doing the footwork. Then all of the sudden, they’re making big changes and you realize you should have paid attention sooner.”

“I’m very proud of Hue-MAN and to receive their Legacy Award,” Del says. “It’s important. It shows a time stamp of the work we’ve done.”

Acknowledging how significantly this small, grassroot start-up has grown in just over a decade, Del says that it’s important to watch for the smaller organizations, because someday they might make it big.

“Sometimes it’s the little guys that you don’t pay attention to but they’re doing the footwork and working their agenda.”  Del says, “Then all of the sudden, they’re making big changes and you realize you should have paid attention sooner.”