ROBERT PIERCE
• Leader & Times
Many state leaders are pushing for the protection and expansion of Medicaid in Kansas.
Many people say doing so is an urgent need, and the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas (AHK) is hosting an event in Liberal May 22 to offer a creative way for Kansans to unite and raise their voices through art.
Through “Mapping the Gap” at Baker Arts Center, Mulvane artist Malissa Long will lead participants as they engage in a hands-on textile art project to highlight the gaps in health care access in Kansas communities.
“This particular event is actually going to be fiber art,” AHK Communications Director Lacey Kennet said. “Instead of painting, it’ll be using fabrics and fiber materials to put together. There will be two pieces. The people who come will contribute to one larger piece that will then be displayed. We’re still working on where it’ll be displayed, but it’ll be displayed somewhere in the state. They’ll take a little matching piece home.”
Each participant will contribute to the collective work and also create a smaller piece to take home. This family-friendly event welcomes all ages and skill levels, with no artistic experience necessary.
The final collaborative artwork will serve as a symbol of the need for grassroots advocacy to transform the state into a place where all Kansans have access to affordable health care when they need it.
“She’s going to walk people through creating a piece of art that allows them to illustrate what their experience with access to health care has been,” Kennet said. “The idea is to get people together and talking and do something fun for the community.”
Talking about health care can be difficult and personal, and understanding how the system and insurance works, as well as getting care in hospitals, particularly without insurance, can make conversations complicated as well. Thus, Kennet said the goal of the upcoming event at Baker Arts is to make discussions accessible and allow people to be free to ask whatever questions they may have.
“We know how complicated things are and how personal it is, and we’re trying to do an event that allows people to feel comfortable talking together and asking questions,” she said.
AHK is based in Topeka, and Kennet said agency leaders are always looking for ways to connect with the rest of the state.
“We like to go all over the state, visit communities and talk to people and see what their concerns about access to health care are,” she said. “We try to do something different and unique whenever we can other than having a town hall or a conversation, and one of the ideas we had was to have an interactive community participation event involving art.”
With art being a family-friendly activity, Kennet said children can participate as well in Mapping the Gap.
“For this particular event, you don’t necessarily need to have any artistic ability,” she said. “We’ll walk you through it. It’s just an opportunity to talk with people in the state.”
Medicaid expansion seems to be a polarizing issue in the Sunflower State, but with more and more Kansans wanting expansion, Kennet said AHK continues to advocate for it.
“As an organization, we’re very focused on data and research, and we know poll after poll over the last 10 years, especially since Medicaid expansion has been around, has shown that a majority of Kansans support the policy and the majority of health care providers and doctors support it,” she said. “You go based on the data and support policies the majority of Kansans support.”
Above all else, Kennet said AHK officials want to hear people’s stories and what is important to them.
“The topics around health care and access to health care people are worried about guide our work, and this is an opportunity to talk to them and answer their questions and hear their stories,” she said.
Mapping the Gap will take place from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 22, at Baker Arts Center at 624 N. Pershing Ave. in Liberal. RSVPs are appreciated to ensure enough supplies for all participants.
For more information, visit expandKanCare.com, and find the events page. Kennet said AHK is doing similar events in other parts of the state throughout the summer.
“We’ll definitely be in Wichita and the Kansas City area and some others,” she said. “They can find information about all of that on our Web site. We’re trying to get the whole state.”
Kennet said Long was helpful in putting the Liberal Mapping the Gap event, the first in the state, together, as the artist knew about Baker Arts, having had art displayed at the local center.
“She thought the community was really vibrant for art,” Kennet said. “We took her cue on that and are excited to come see the art center and all the great art parts of Liberal.”
Along with Mapping the Gap, Kennet said AHK leaders love traveling the state for other events.
“Every part of our state is so unique and offers something different,” she said. “We’re all Kansans. It always feels like you’re in Kansas, but every part of the state is a little different. Being in Topeka in the northeastern part of the state, it’s easy for us to connect to the thoughts and things going on here, and it’s so important for us to go outside that and go all over the state. Things in your part of the state look different than they are here.”
Kennet said relying on input from state residents and advocating for policy, particularly during the legislative session, makes talking to people very enjoyable.
“Everybody’s experience is important, and everybody’s story is important,” she said. “That’s really what guides the work we do.”
