October - Indigenous Peoples Day!
October is also Domestic Violence Awareness Month. We partnered with the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians to bring awareness to different types of partner violence in Indian Country, including Cultural, Digital and Financial abuse .

Together, Response Circles , We R Native , StrongHearts Native Helpline, Skybear Media , and youth from the Tribes of Siletz came together to share their message with you. Remember, not all violence is physical. If you are in need of support please reach out to StrongHearts Native Helpline at 1-844-762-8483.

Watch and share their videos:
Celebrate National Coming Out Day
Last week, on National Coming Out Day (October 11th), we celebrated by watching the short documentary "There’s Heart Here," which follows three indigenous members of the Two Spirit and LGBTQ community as they journey toward self-acceptance, supportive healthcare, and communities that celebrate them.
There's Heart Here
Meet a roller derby champion, an activist, and a cyclist. Follow three indigenous members of the Two Spirit and LGBTQ community as they journey toward self-acceptance, supportive healthcare, and communities that celebrate them.

Interested in learning more about Two Spirit and LGBTQ inclusion?
Whether you are a member of our Two Spirit or LGBTQ community or an ally, the Indigenizing Love Toolkit , created by the Western States Center, has resources to help you:
  • Reclaim indigenous knowledge
  • Become better partners to support our Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ relatives
  • Help promote efforts that indigenize love.

Stay up-to-date with Two Spirit and LGBTQ health news by texting LGBTQ2S to 97779 . Order Indigenizing Love : A Toolkit for Native Youth to Build Inclusion, by the Western States Center.
BRAVE Study Recruitment Underway: Please Help Us!
As you may have heard, We R Native is making a monumental push to enroll 1,500 AI/AN teens and young adults nationwide (15-24 years old) to participate in a study that will evaluate the impact of its text messaging service – and we would love your help spreading the word. We are about a 1/3 of the way there, but we still have a long way to go.

Please encourage students in your community to join the study by November 9th.

We have two easy options for students to enroll:

  1. Eligible youth can enroll themselves by texting: BRAVE to 97779
  2. Tribal programs, Schools, and Colleges can enroll a larger group of students by showing a 15 minute video. At the end of the video students will be instructed to text STUDY to 97779, which will direct them to the pre-survey. Students will complete the pre-survey on their phones, which will take 10-15 minutes. (You will need: a video player, audio, and students will need their own cell phones.) Altogether, the session take 30-40 minutes.

Recruitment : We are mostly recruiting participants via our social media channels – if you wouldn’t mind sharing our posts with your social networks. We also have print materials and swag prizes that we can fast-track to you, if you have events in October and early November where young adults will be present. If so, please send me your mailing address and the number of youth you plan to recruit, and we'll mail you some loot.

Want to learn more? Please email Stephanie Craig Rushing, We R Native Project Director, Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board.

Coming Next Month
Native American Heritage Month
As we continue to carry on the support from Indigenous People’s Day across the nation, November highlights the celebration of Native American Heritage Month! It’s not only a time to amplify our stories, culture, traditions, and identity, but it also a time to give back and honor the indigenous peoples of this land.

Recognizing our first nation ancestors and tribes together as a unified voice creates bold movements in working together. So how do you honor and recognizes those before us?
Take a peek of the following guide: Honor Native Land : A Guide and Call to Acknowledgement .
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