July 2022: Cultural Pride
Cultural connectedness is a protective factor for Native youth. Cultural identity is one of the most important topics on the mind of today’s Native youth. This month’s issue focuses on cultural pride - with tools, resources and creative examples demonstrating culture is prevention. 
Photo credit: Michelle Singer
Ready-To-Use Summer Programming Ideas
The Healthy Native Youth Stand-Alone Lessons pull from several evaluated health resources on the site. These tools can be used to connect youth to culture as a protective factor. Here are two of our favorites to support your summer programming:

Video credit: We R Native’s We Are Quileute
Identity: Native Identity and Cultural Pride 
Building cultural pride and positive identity must be central to innovations addressing holistic, strength-based adolescent health. One of the most important protective factors for Native youth is cultural connectedness.
 
 
According to the NPAIHB’s Youth Health Tech Survey, Native identity or cultural pride is the most important topic that Native youth want to learn about, requested by 73% of youth respondents.
We R Native’s I Strengthen My Nation Gallery
Home by Faith, Inupiaq/Tlingit/Sugpiaq, Washington

“I believe that our homes and our connection to our lands and culture will break us from our toxic cycles we continue to make today. A lot of us struggle with homelessness and displacement. A lot of my own grandpa’s and grandmas struggled like that and never got help and ended up dying never knowing where they come from or who their people are. I wanna show us the beauty of our people when we don’t have to worry about homelessness or don’t have to worry about somebody telling us to not pray. One day, I hope this is the future.”
Beats Lyrics Leaders

Beats Lyrics Leaders (BLL) provides the opportunity for Native youth to create music as a positive creative outlet for cultural resilience. Listen to the SoundCloud recordings from this year's 2022 THRIVE Youth Conference. 
Community of Practice
Register for the July 13th CoP: Staying Connected
Join the CoP crew to talk about what others are doing and how we can support each other’s youth programming mid-summer, to keep the momentum going! We’ll also save some time to chat about what you want to see in next year's CoP line-up (starting in September)… so bring your ideas!
Image: Thrive 2019
In Case You Missed It: Concerning Social Media Posts Workshop
Suicide prevention remains challenging among Native youth, as many do not disclose thoughts of suicide before making- an-attempt. However, youth may disclose depression symptoms and suicidal ideation via social media and text messaging. These public disclosures may provide opportunities to identify youth at risk and connect them to appropriate resources and support. View the super interactive session as we previewed a new upcoming text message service called Mind4Health.
Spotlight on the Latest
New Publication: Creating a Path Forward
Our HNY partners are proud to share our latest publication, written in collaboration between the NPAIHB, ANTHC, IHS, and CDC – Creating a path forward: understanding the context of sexual health and sexually transmitted infections in American Indian/Alaska Native populations – a review. The authors conclude that longstanding STD/STI disparities show a clear need to increase the availability of integrated, low-barrier STI prevention and treatment services, and that multi-level, culturally relevant sexual health and STI interventions should be community-based and person-centered, acknowledge the social determinants of health, and be grounded in a deep respect and understanding of AI/AN histories and cultures.
New Youth e-Cigarette Prevention Campaign
Last month, the FDA launched “Next Legends” – a new youth e-cigarette prevention campaign that aims to educate American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth, ages 12-17, about the harms of vaping. Resources and information on teen.smokefree.gov/NextLegends are tailored specifically for AI/AN youth audiences by cessation experts. The “Next Legends” campaign connects youth to cessation resources on social media and digital platforms (including SmokefreeTXT for Teens and the quitSTART App).  

Click here for the link for youth.
New Documentary - Hiding In Plain Sight:
Youth Mental Illness
Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness is a documentary about the mental health crisis among youth in America streaming now on PBS produced by Ken Burns.

The film, which premiered in June 2022, gives voice to the experiences of young people, including Native youth, who struggle with mental health challenges and focuses on the importance of awareness and empathy. It is a must-watch documentary!

HNY has been partnering with WETA’s Wellbeing Campaign -- stay tuned for more news and educator resources in the coming months!
In Closing: Culture is Resistance
“Culture is Resistance” is now a mural in Portland, Oregon on the campus of Portland State University, painted by a group of Native youth who had a collective vision during the 2022 THRIVE Youth Conference, in the “Painting BIG” track. Photo credit: Scott Kalama.
Closing Video: Who We Are
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